PUPILS have been laying the foundations of future learning brick by coloured brick in an initiative designed to ease the transition from primary to secondary education.
Richmond School and Sixth Form College played host to primary school children from Years 4, 5, and 6 from across the area in a contest of logical thinking and teamwork organised by the maths department.
Sixty-five pupils were mentored by 30 Year 9 students in two separate exercises using Lego. In the first they had to write a story, design the set and perform a one-minute play with the theme ‘someone saves the day’.
The second exercise saw them build a robot and programme it to navigate a maze using kits bought by the Trustees of Richmond School.
Lego trophies were awarded to Michael Syddall School, Catterick Garrison, for the robotics contest, Le Cateau School, Catterick Garrison, for the creative story competition, with North and South Cowton Primary School collecting the trophy for the best team.
Richmond maths teacher Rebecca Collier said: “The Lego kits are fantastic and we plan to roll them out across all year groups. It is such a good medium with which to teach. The children are thoroughly engaged and work extremely hard.
“For the younger children, the day gets them used to the big school so it is less daunting when they arrive in Year 7. It is also accessible to all abilities and helps develop leadership skills, teamwork and boosts self-confidence and self-esteem. It is not directly mathematical but certainly benefits their maths skills.”
Amanda Foreman, a teacher at Wavell Junior School, Catterick Garrison, which was awarded the runner up slot in the team award, said: “It has been a fantastic event. It has been great for the pupils to experience life at secondary school and adopt roles ranging from engineer to parts sorter.”