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Shouldham pupils build bridges in technology tournament




Pupils at St Martin at Shouldham Primary Academy have taken part in the Downham Rotary Junior Technology Tournament.

Their brief was to to build a bridge for a nature reserve and the students were supplied with a host of materials

They worked in teams of four to compete to build the best bridge.

St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament. Pictured Winning Team. Riley, Harriet,Yuliia and Harry. MLNF-22MF060284
St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament. Pictured Winning Team. Riley, Harriet,Yuliia and Harry. MLNF-22MF060284

Judges included representatives from Downham's Rotary Club.

The winning team of Riley, Harriet, Yuliia and Harry received their certificates along with the other students involved.

School pupils were tasked with building a bridge.

St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament. Pictured with pupils: class teacher Carla Peel, Katherine Howe, Headteacher, Tamzia Parker, school governor. MLNF-22MF060281
St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament. Pictured with pupils: class teacher Carla Peel, Katherine Howe, Headteacher, Tamzia Parker, school governor. MLNF-22MF060281

Groups of year six pupils took on the challenge to create an animal bridge to be used in nearby nature reserve, Shouldham Warren.

The construction had to be wide enough for squirrels to cross from one side of the path to the other to collect food, yet high enough to allow adults and children to walk under it.

Teams of four were given a short presentation on what it means to be a civil engineer and the types of structures the profession builds such as roads, tunnels, bridges and airports.

St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament. Pictured with pupils: class teacher Carla Peel. MLNF-22MF060282
St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament. Pictured with pupils: class teacher Carla Peel. MLNF-22MF060282

Downham Market Rotarian Alan Culley said: "This is a brilliant challenge designed to develop team building and communication skills and apply them to a technology-based problem.

"The pupils did a very good job and built some excellent structures.

"Congratulations to the winners."

St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament. Pictured are the judges LtoR: Alan Culley, Ray Starling, Howard Philips, Downham Rotary Club. MLNF-22MF060283
St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament. Pictured are the judges LtoR: Alan Culley, Ray Starling, Howard Philips, Downham Rotary Club. MLNF-22MF060283

The challenge called on a combination of skills, including science, design, maths, teamwork, creativity, geography and problem solving.

The teams were encouraged to take on key roles such as architect, structural engineer, materials engineer and value engineer and were all praised for their efforts.

The Rotary Junior Technology Tournament is an initiative designed to promote careers in engineering and give pupils an idea of all the elements involved.

St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament.MLNF-22MF060285
St Martin at Shouldham Primary School technology tournament.MLNF-22MF060285

The teams were provided with all necessary tools and materials and set to work creating bridges from paper, doweling, string, card, netting, cable ties and more.

The young engineers came up with a range of structures to impress the judges with all the pupils being commended for their ideas and hard work.

The winning team was The Wilderness Squad, made up of Yuliia, Harriet, Harry, Riley.

Year six class teacher Marianne Taylor said: "It was amazing to be able to sit back and observe how well the children were working together in the challenge and to see the project unfold."

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