From racing drones to card shufflers, bearded dragons to computer games, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is at the very heart of Loughborough Grammar School. The boys engage in a huge variety of STEM activities, not just through traditional learning, but also through clubs, enrichment and competitions.

STEM Club, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday lunchtimes, boasts a plethora of fun activities for the boys to engage with, as well as learning about all things STEM. Pupils are currently making use of a new 3D printer, with the latest list of designs including bionic fingers, model car engines, card shufflers, Lego cars and mathematical shapes such as tetrahedrons. The 3D printer was funded using a generous donation from Loughborough Schools Foundation alumnus Professor Hubert Lacey and Mrs Sue Lacey who are particularly passionate about science and learning. The donation was made specifically to fund a STEM initiative which would have the biggest impact on STEM students.

As for learning outside the classrooms, STEM Club took a trip to the National Space Centre earlier this year, where students learned all about natural and artificial satellites, experienced the wonder of the IMAX planetarium show and had a chance to roam around the numerous exhibits.

And it’s not just typical STEM subjects where the STEM discovery takes place. STEM learning has extended through the Arts subject too, with the Classics Club using the 3D Printer to produce ancient artefacts and a colosseum. The club has also played host to the building of an FPV racing drone from a kit, from which the boys took great delight in racing!

Many boys at Loughborough Grammar are taking part in STEM learning through less traditional routes, as part of their daily enrichment activities. The school is proud to boast such a large number of co-curricular clubs and lots of these have STEM learning at their very foundations. Examples of clubs and workshops with STEM learning include:

• Beast Club
• Bee Club
• Anatomy and Dissection Club
• Hydroponics Garden workshop
• Astronomy workshop
• Coding Workshop
• Olympiad and Oxbridge Engineering Group
• Physics Society
• Robotics Club
• Crystal Club
• Cosmetic Chemistry
• Brewing Club
• Organic Synthesis Club
• Maths Club

However, STEM at Loughborough Grammar is by no means confined to a club. The boys are encouraged to, and many take part, in numerous STEM competitions each year including the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, the Royal Society of Chemistry Schools Analyst Challenge, the Royal Society of Biology Olympiad and Biology Challenge and the UK Bebras Computing Competition to name a few. Some recent successes include:

• A year 10 and two year 7 pupils being entered into the gold CREST award for coding a new Flappy Bird-stye computer game and investigating the merit of proper handwashing techniques rather than using alcohol hand sanitisers.
• A year 13 winning the prestigious Triumph Design Award with their sanitising station design.
• A team of year 7s entering Race to the Line, a national competition where students make model race cars from materials given to them on the day of the competition.

• 18 boys qualifying for the second round of the UK Maths Trust Challenges and several boys winning gold awards in the Chemistry Olympiads Competition, including a Year 12 boy despite the competition being aimed at Year 13s.
• A year 10 team making the Teentech National Finals with their app for healthcare services, providing information such as live waiting times at A&E, GP and dentist appointment availability, as well as facilities and services provided by various NHS and private establishments.

Having been part of the STEM learning journey from the start of their time at Loughborough Grammar, the older boys at the school take pride in supporting younger pupils’ interest in STEM, including outreach at primary schools and through the Saturday masterclasses. In the future, the school will further its commitment to STEM learning and continue to encourage all boys to get stuck in to the exciting and innovative STEM projects, which can be found taking place across the school.

Loughborough Grammar’s Physics teacher and STEM Outreach co-ordinator, Dhruv Joshi said: “With the always changing and advancing world we live in, we have to make STEM an integral part of the school to prepare pupils for life outside of LGS.”

“Not surprisingly, there is a large demand for STEM at LGS! I am overwhelmed with questions such as ‘Sir can I build my own drone?’ or ‘Can I 3D print my own card shuffling robot?’ and thankfully I can reply with ‘Of course! What do you need to get started?’.”