Ashington pupils delighted as their designs become reality

Jan 28 2010 by Vicky Robson, The Journal

SCORES of excited youngsters watched their mechanical creations come to life on the Northumberland coast yesterday.

Around 30 pupils from Ashington met on the beach at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea after their designs for sub-sea ploughs were turned into the real deal by engineers.

The children, all aged between 12 and 13, at Hirst Park Middle School, in Ashington, raced the two mean machines along the sand at a special unveiling event. The group of Year 8 youngsters, took part in the enterprising project, organised by Wansbeck Enterprise Education Network (WEEN) and regional company IHC Engineering Business, which aimed to help them develop their maths skills.

The class were split into two groups and had to design their own sub-sea plough, used to install cables and pipelines under the sea bed. They were mentored by two engineers from Riding Mill-based IHC to draw up their designs and develop their ideas.

Yesterday was the first time the two groups set eyes on their deep-sea divers when they were invited along to Church Point, to watch them in action.

Year 8 pupil, Harry Bainbridge, 12, of Ashington, said: “It’s been brilliant. We have been really excited about it because not many schools get this opportunity and for us to be picked is mint.” Maths teacher Aimee Hall said: “Probably the biggest benefit of this project has been the fact that they have been able to put the maths into a context.”

The next phase of the project will involve pupils pitching their ideas to potential contractors and industry experts later in the year.