Pupils at St Martin’s at Shouldham CofE Primary Academy take part in bridge building competition

Primary school pupils took part in a competition last month which taught them what it is like to be a civil engineer.

Year 6 pupils at Shouldham CofE Primary Academy, took part in the day arranged by Downham Rotary Club and learned about the skills involved in bridge building.

The Rotary Junior Technology Tournament shows the youngsters why civil engineers are so important and gives them an idea of their roles in building structures such as stations, airports, tunnels and bridges.

The pupils were split into teams of three to four pupils and challenged to design and make a bridge that would be suitable for a squirrel to cross in a nature reserve.

They used a range of different materials and tried out various ideas in a bid to make their structure successful.

Year 6 class teacher Caroline Clark said: “Our Year 6 Researcher Class thoroughly enjoyed the Rotary technology event and came up with some impressive designs.

“A big thanks to Howard from Downham Rotary Club who came along to facilitate the day. The pupils worked collaboratively in teams to design and make a bridge that would be suitable for a squirrel crossing.

“They were all so engaged throughout the session and demonstrated a growth mindset when they realised that some of their designs did not meet the criteria laid out in the challenge. It was great to see them workout the problems.”

The idea of the challenge is to help students develop skills in science, design and maths.

Teams were also encouraged to take specific roles such as architect, structural engineer or materials engineer.

The teams had to keep in mind about gravity and weight when building a bridge, as well as tension and compression forces.

One of the teams took the overall top spot as their design met all the criteria set out.

Miss Clark added: “Our ‘Bob the Builders’ team, made up of William, Arthur and Harrison created an impressive model that measured 20cm from the ground even when the bridge carried a load.

“Additionally, they had camouflaged their bridge well to blend with the local environment and had ensured that all potential squirrels were well protected from high winds.

“The bridge was sturdy and didn’t move at all when a hairdryer was directed towards it. They did a really great job as did all the other teams and lots of fun was had.”

Winning team member William said: “It was stressful and fun at the same time.”

Harrison added: “It was really fun because it was a full team effort, and everyone brought something different to the table.”

Reporting by Sophie-Louise Collins