STEAM at STAGS

STEAM in ADT

Within the Art, Design and Technology department there are numerous opportunities for students to extend their STEAM learning experiences.

STEAM in a Box

This is a club for Year 7 students led by students in older year groups.  During the sessions the students have the chance to design and build gliders and jet propelled vehicles. 

MBDA Robot Rumble

With the support of MBDA graduate engineering mentors, students in Years 8 and 9 have competed in the MBDA Robot Rumble. Using a VEX robotics kit students design, build and code their robot to compete in various challenges against other school teams. 

For more information or to provide support for STEAM in ADT please contact Miss Hannah Bowman, Curriculum Leader for Art, Design and Technology. 

STEAM in Maths

Maths provides a variety of opportunities for students to extend their love of learning outside the  classroom.

UK Maths Challenge              

• Each year students are invited to take part in the UK Maths Challenge
• The Junior Maths Challenge is for students in Years 7 and 8.  Approximately 60 students in each year group take part
• The Intermediate Maths Challenge is open to students in Years 9-11.  Usually over 30 students in each year group choose to take part in the challenge
• The Senior Maths Challenge is open to students in Years 12 and 13 and is an opportunity to work on problems at the highest level
• All of these challenges can also lead to progress in national competitions.

Further information about the challenges can be found here.

Team Maths Challenges

During the year there are opportunities for students in years 7 and 8 to enter team Maths Challenges within Hertfordshire. These challenges are an opportunity to solve mathematical problems and puzzles in a collaborative way.

After School Maths Club: Maths for Fun!

The Maths department also invites students from all year groups to join them after school each week for Maths Club.  This provides a chance for students to complete various mathematical problems for fun and to further extend their love of the subject. 

For more information about STEAM in Maths students should contact their Maths Teacher.

STEAM in Science

The Science department offers a wide variety of STEAM activities. This provides students who are passionate about science or considering a career in a STEAM based environment with invaluable enrichment opportunities.

In Years 7 and 8 a Science club is run by staff and supported by Post 16 students in the Autumn and Spring terms. Students are invited to attend and experience a number of practical activities that are linked to everyday applications of science. Year 7 students attend a trip to Whipsnade Zoo and this is linked to the science curriculum and teaches them about how animals and plants adapt to their habitats.

Year 9 students are involved in a STEAM activity day and this is run with links to British Science Week. This is a cross curricular opportunity and the Maths and Design Technology departments are also involved. They involve a variety of themes, such as designing electric cars, and help students to see the applications of these subjects particularly in Engineering.

In Year 10 students take part in the Live Operating Theatre, seeing concepts from the Biology classroom in real life. At Key Stage 5 all science subjects offer students Olympiads to stretch and challenge them. Each department also runs specific activities including Physics and Biology in Action and a Spectroscopy session for chemists. These are all done at universities in London.

STEAM in Computing

Computing provides a variety of opportunities for students to extend their love of learning outside the classroom

UK Bebras Challenge:

The Bebras Computing Challenge introduces computational thinking to students.
It is organised in over 50 countries and designed to get students all over the world excited about computing. Each participant answers questions that focus on computational and logical thinking. It is completed online during our Computing lessons.

The iDEA Award:

The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA is an international award-winning programme that helps students develop digital enterprise and employability skills for free.

Through our series of online challenges, students can win career-enhancing badges, unlock new opportunities and, ultimately gain industry-recognised awards that help them stand out from the crowd.

BAFTA Young Game Designers Competition:

Young Game Designers is an initiative by BAFTA that inspires and supports young people to create, develop and present their new game idea to the world. 

The Alan Turing Cryptography Competition:

The Alan Turing Cryptography Competition is a must for those who are future codebreakers. This competition opens in January each year and helps students combine their love of maths and computing.

CyberFirstGirls

This competition for Year 8 students is run by the National Cyber Security Centre. The team of students is set a variety of challenges to solve using their taught computing skills. A must for anyone considering a career in cybersecurity.

Coding Club

The Computing department also invites students from all year groups to join them during lunchtime, once a week for Coding Club. This provides a chance for students to play with BBC Micro:bits and develop their coding skills.

For more information about STEAM in Computing, students should contact their Computing Teacher.