Thanks to a grant from the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm Community Fund, operated by energy company Equinor, an outdoor learning area at the Duke of Lancaster Academy in Fakenham, North Norfolk now has two innovative pieces of sensory STEM education equipment, and the pupils think they are great!
The Duke of Lancaster Academy is a special school which caters for the education needs of 110 students aged 5-16 years with communication and interaction difficulties, the majority of whom have a diagnosis of autism.
Thanking the Dudgeon Community Fund for its generous support, Head of School Elizabeth Barneveld said:
“As a result of the grant, we have been able to invest in two new pieces of interactive STEM equipment. When it arrived, students were queuing up to use it, and they continue to enjoy engaging with it. It’s brilliant at supporting wellbeing, social interaction and teamwork.
“Importantly, it also helps some our learners to de-stress after long journeys, as our students travel here from all four corners of the county. We are incredibly grateful for this support.”
The equipment includes a Rotogen Hex Reactions Station Play Panel which transforms kinetic (movement) energy into electrical energy. This enables students to see how renewable energy production and energy transfers work in practice.
The Science and Educational Activities Play Structure allows students to interact with information about topics including the solar system and space, weather and the water cycle and animals and the life cycle.
Both pieces of STEM equipment encourage problem-solving and analytical thinking, often involving teamwork and communication to improve collaboration skills. Students get immediate feedback from the equipment and can track their progress and achievements, helping to build confidence and motivation.
The Dudgeon Community Fund is administered by the Norfolk Community Foundation (www.norfolkfoundation.com). Grant applications from schools and colleges in the Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk and Breckland regions of Norfolk can be submitted to the Fund at any time, with funding awards being made in the Spring and the Autumn.