Evendons' Young Engineer

Last spring, Evendons Primary School's Year 3 class entered the South of England competition “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” The pupils involved were highly commended for their creative ideas.

Maisie, one of the talented pupils, impressed everyone with her invention the ‘4 Bin Swopper’. Her innovative eco-bin design was one of the winning entries and caught the attention of researchers at the University of Southampton, who decided to bring her idea to life.

Last week, the university’s Engineer Prototeam visited Maisie and her class to discuss the prototype they are creating based on her design. The visit sparked curiosity and inspiration among the children, who asked many questions and embraced the opportunity to learn about the process of bringing an invention to life.

Reflecting on this experience, Maisie said: “I have enjoyed working with the University of Southampton and seeing my idea grow.”

Headteacher Stacey Read, said: “It is absolutely wonderful that our pupils take every opportunity we offer with both hands. Being able to nurture young talent, question stereotypes with regards to STEM subjects and see the results is truly inspiring for me and my teaching staff. Our next event will be our biannual STEM fair this Summer. We cannot wait!”

One of the main aims of the school is to make sure that girls have the same appeal to STEM subjects as boys. And they are certainly succeeding in that. With these aspiring engineers leading the way, the future is brimming with potential!