Elastic bands, teamwork and imagination combined as Year 6 pupils from Lifton Community Academy stepped into the world of engineering, designing and building their own inventions before pitching their ideas in a real manufacturing environment.
The pupils, from Lifton Community Academy, part of the Learning Academy Partnership, visited the Ambrosia creamery and development laboratories in the village to learn how products are developed, tested and produced.
During the visit, the children designed and built elastic band-powered cars before demonstrating how they worked. They then presented their inventions, explaining their designs and the thinking behind them.
The challenge encouraged pupils to develop creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills while providing an insight into the different stages involved in bringing a product to life.
Ambrosia has been part of the Lifton community since 1917. The visit also gave pupils the opportunity to learn more about one of the area’s major employers and the work carried out at the site, where Ambrosia custard and rice puddings are produced and new products are developed.
Lifton Community Academy encourages pupils to take part in a wide range of experiences that connect classroom learning with the wider world and help develop skills for the future.
Headteacher Adam Hill said: “It was fantastic to see our Year 6 pupils embrace this challenge and bring their ideas to life.
“Experiences like this help children understand how their learning can be used in the real world, while giving them the chance to learn more about the community around them.”
Tracey Cleverly, trust lead at the Learning Academy Partnership, said: “We know that the best learning experiences often happen when schools work closely with their communities.
“Partnerships like this give pupils the chance to explore new ideas and see how their learning connects to the world around them.”
