Topic outline

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  Specialism

  As a Specialist Technology College, we offer lots of exciting opportunities in Technology, Science and Maths. All students take a Technology subject all the way to GCSE; most take double Science but there is also strong take up of the optional triple Science course; about 50% of our students take both Maths and Statistics. Further opportunities in the specialist subjects are offered through a strong programme of curriculum enrichment activities: clubs, visits, projects, national competitions.

  Our partnership programme with Primary Feeder schools and the Pupil Referral Unit allows us to share good practice and run activities for the benefit of students in the wider community. Creating community and business links is also an important feature of specialism and the college offers training through the Adult education programme as well as organising visits and work experience in partnership with local employers.

  Martin Lewis, Director Technology College Specialism.
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  STEM TEAM Cambridgeshire

  

  STEM TEAM East is an educational charity (No. 291332) working with all schools and colleges in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire to deliver Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities to enhance the delivery of primary and secondary curricula and support the 14-19 strategy. 

  We aim to inspire, encourage and help young people progress in STEM and help raise the scientific literacy and appreciation of STEM among our school population. We provide Work Related Learning and Information, Advice and Guidance and input into the new Diplomas. We also offer our own STEM challenge activities, including our Robotics Day, which we bring into schools supported by STEM Ambassadors. To find out more visit: www.stemteameast.org.uk

  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) at Soham Village College

    As a Technology College, we are proud of the opportunities our students have in the ‘STEM’ subjects. Watch the video below (made by students) about some of the STEM activities in Years 6 and 9.

    svc-stem.flv

  • Primary STEM Week

    On the 29th November 2010, Soham Village College held its first STEM week. Primary school pupils from surrounding areas took part in creative activities covering science, technology, engineering and maths.

    The day started with a travel themed maths challenge where students had to visit as many countries on a round the world trip as they could. Unfortunately, students were stranded in Madrid due to snow ( very appropriate considering the recent weather) and had to work out how to get an emergency message back to Soham. They did this by investigating forces and flight principles to apply to the design of a flying aircraft to carry their message back home. Pupils had to try and land as close to the target as possible making sure that they worked together as a team.

    Our Year 9 STEM consultants were around to lend a hand and were fantastic throughout the week. Everyone had a fantastic time with prizes being awarded for the most dramatic crash, best flight, most innovative idea and for getting the message closest to Soham.

    Schools that took part included:-

    St. Andrew’s Primary School, The Weatheralls Primary School, Little Thetford Primary School, Stretham Primary School, St Mary’s Primary School Ely, Fordham Primary School, Isleham Primary School, Kennett Primary School, Littleport Primary School & Burwell Village College

    Staff involved included:-

    Dr K Urquhart (Science), Mrs K Thompson (Maths), Miss J Knight (Technology) & Mr M Lewis (Maths)

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  • Primary STEM Week Photos Lightbox Gallery

  • Robot Day

    We started off with a short talk about uses for robots, and then we were given a brief about what we were going to do. We got into threes and were given the parts to assemble our robot from. After a lot of trial and error, we got the motor system assembled, with a choice of wheels or legs. We were then ready to mount a control chip and power our robot up. We all built tracks for our Robots to follow by programming the chips with Logic Instruction. We now had fully working robots, with the exception of a couple of groups.

    After lunch, we gave a presentation about an application for our robots, with many interesting and entertaining ideas. It was good fun with the challenge of finishes the whole project in a day.

    Year 10 Student
    Soham Village College
    

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  • Robot Day Photos Lightbox Gallery

  • Drag Racing Challenge

    During the summer term the whole of Year 9 take part in a drag racing challenge. The students are given a tray of materials with which to design and make a drag racer. The students are put into teams by the coordinator and have to work together efficiently to complete their model in the allotted time.  The teams are judged on their design and team work as well as the speed of their drag racer in knockout style race.

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  • Drag Racing Photos Lightbox Gallery

  • Day at Duxford Imperial War Musuem
    

    On Thursday 10th June 2010, we travelled to Duxford Imperial War Museum to spend the day working alongside engineers and people from various companies. We were placed in teams of three and set a number of challenges to complete. The first challenge was to design and build a Water buoy that that righted itself. Our first attempt did not work, so after lots of modifications our buoy eventually worked.
    
    Our next challenge was to build a car that we tested in a wind tunnel. We seemed to have cracked the team work at this point and things went a lot better. Miss Knight and Mr Smith told us before we started that the key to success was to work as a team and listen to each other… if only we had done this earlier we may have won.
    
    The day went really quickly as we all ran  around completing various projects… from building buoys and cars to measuring liquids. When we had finished the activities we all went off for a look around the Hangers at the Tanks and Planes.
    
    It was a great day.
    
    The Duxford Team

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  • Duxford Day Photos Lightbox Gallery
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  Primary Technology Visit

  Electronics Task

  Students from Kennett Primary School came to Soham for the day to learn about Electronic Components and how they are used to make simple circuits. Students and staff where involved in manufacturing a Printed Circuit Board that they attached components too. All involved made a Fuse tester that can be used to test cartridge fuses in the home.

  Students used tools and equipment that they do not have in their primary school. Students found the soldering iron the most difficult to use at first. The day was a great success and everyone's circuits worked!

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  • Primary Technology Visit Photos Lightbox Gallery

  • Rockets

    On Friday 14th May 2010, thirty Year 6 students from St. Andrew’s Primary School came over to the College for a post-exams treat. A group of ten Year 8 students helped them to build and test fire rockets using our fantastic rocket launchers. Flights of up to 60m were reported!

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  Technology Visit to Duxford

  

  On Wednesday 3rd February 2010 students from Year 10 in X & Y Band, who are studying GCSE Electronics and Resistant Materials, visited Duxford Imperial War Museum. Students spent the day looking at different engineering processes and how the museum works. They also looked at uses of drawings, structures, materials and some health and safety.

  They started off the day in the Land Warfare Hall looking at tanks and jeeps they did some drawing and answered questions. After spending about an hour in the Hall they moved on to the American Air Museum. In this hangar, students observed  aeroplanes that were used during the Second World War such as the P-47 Thunderbolt and B-17 Flying Fortress.

  Then they had a break for lunch outside and after this they had a look around the Working Museum at planes that have been recovered and the planes that were in the process of being restored.

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  • Technology Visit to Duxford Photos Lightbox Gallery
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  • Primary Maths Challenge

    In December, over 200 pupils from all the primary feeder schools took part in a week of maths challenges involving a series of tests, puzzles and calculations.

    “When our class went to Soham we were split into groups of three and four and were seated with a Year 7.  We had an hour to complete a booklet of problems by working altogether.  It was great fun, even though we did not win!”

    Year 6 Student
    Isleham C of E Primary

    “Thank you for letting us take part in your maths challenge.  We enjoyed working with your Year 7s to figure out the answers to the difficult questions, some were definitely more challenging than others!  However we did manage to complete most of the questions and we were glad to have come first!”

    Year 6 Student
    St. Andrew’s C of E Primary

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  • Primary Maths Challenge Lightbox Gallery
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  Maths Chess Club

  The Maths Club meets every week for fun and for competitions. Best of all is when the sun comes out and we play giant chess in the courtyard!

  

  • Maths Challenge Photos Lightbox Gallery
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  Primary Science Fairs

  During the Summer Term 2010, Soham Village College held three science fairs, which were visited by all of the Year 5 and Year 6 students from St. Andrew's Primary School. Five Year 7 and Year 8 classes from the College learned how to help the younger students carry out a circus of eight different ‘Kitchen Sink Science’ experiments, and most importantly to explain what they had learned. Year 6 teacher Elizabeth Henderson said “After doing the experiments, we followed up the activities up back at St. Andrew's Primary School and I was genuinely surprised at how many children of all abilities had a pretty good idea of why the various demonstrations worked in the way that they did.”

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  • Primary Science Fairs Photos Lightbox Gallery
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  KS4 Science Enrichment

  Genome Project

  During the summer term 2009 between 50 and 40 of our most able students are given the opportunity to take part in a biotechnology project designed to heighten their excitement  and enthusiasm for science. The project makes use of specialist equipment and techniques that the students wouldn’t normally be exposed to at GCSE level.  The project starts with students learning how to extract DNA from cells and moves  on to genetically engineering E.Coli bacteria to glow in the dark. The project culminates in a DNA finger printing activity designed to find out who killed the gorilla at the zoo.
  
  The students find this project immensely rewarding, it develops their technical skills and well as deepening their understanding of this important area of science and the issues surrounding genetic engineering.

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  • Genome Project Photos Lightbox Gallery

  • Physics Decathlon

    On 5th July 2010, four Soham Village College students went to Thurston Community College to take part in a competition for gifted and talented science students from all over East Anglia. They spent the morning completing a number of challenges on an ‘Olympics’ theme for which points were awarded, and in the afternoon enjoyed a demonstration-lecture. It was the first time a team from Soham had taken part in the Institute of Physics-sponsored event, and unfortunately we didn’t make it to the final. However, be warned East Anglia schools, we are already looking forward to next year’s event!

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  Links with local Business

  Study Plus Group

   

  The Study Plus Group recently visited DS Smith Packaging, Fordham where they enjoyed a full programme of activities, relating classroom learning to ‘real world’ applications. Focus in the classroom had been on calculating surface areas and nets of 3D shapes and it was a fantastic opportunity to see how this maths is used in manufacturing cardboard packaging.

  “I was surprised about how much maths was involved in making a cardboard box!”

  “More for the eye to see than a person would imagine”

  “Cool robots”

  “It was a great experience...Lots of machinery.....I was surprised how much maths was involved.”