Pupils and families gained a taste of the school’s innovative technology capabilities last week, when staff hosted the technology showcase. Aspects of the school’s computing curriculum was displayed through drones, Spheros, Virtual and Augmented reality, wowing the visitors.
Junior school pupils demonstrated building and programming a variety of Lego robots using the WeDo kits, which included a motion sensing spy robot, a glowing snail and a motorised wheel-based robot; visitors were able to join in the building and make their own. Senior school pupils supervised the visiting pupils and parents controlling a Sphero and navigating it around a maze projected onto the interactive floor area in the Hub, as well as learning how to pilot a drone and fly it through a hoop course. Lower 4 students were also given the opportunity to show off their Lego Mindstorm robots and allowed younger girls to drive them around, shoot objects and experiment with their sensing capabilities.
Visitors also experienced both Virtual and Augmented reality, by viewing Computed Aided Design drawings using VR headsets, as well as other educational content supporting other subjects within the school, thanks to the school’s partnership with Centre VR. Pupils and parents also enjoyed taking part in an AR Treasure Hunt, by using their smartphone or iPad to scan QR codes hidden around the Hub, which brought subject content from Classics, Art, Science, Geography and History to life. Those who were able to solve the clues and descramble the anagram won a prize.
The event took place in the same week as an Upper 4 visit to the VR centre in Bournemouth, to support their Classics lessons. They visited Ancient Rome and explored the Colosseum as it would have looked back then, they then worked together in teams, as gladiators, to escape from Medusa in an escape room challenge. Logical thinking, puzzle solving and even bow and arrow skills were required to overcome the gorgon!
Thanks go to the creativity of the computing and technology staff who hosted and organised these events.
