Tuesday 

Kitroniks

Kevin Spurr is a director of Kitroniks, an Electronics company providing teaching resources for schools across the country. Kitroniks have more recently helped develop the BBC micro:bit, a coding tool to be distributed to all Year 7 pupils in January. Teaching resources for the micro:bit are available on the Kitroniks website.

MTS pupils were given a glimpse of the future, working with micro:bits borrowed from the BBC. Groups supported by their teachers took great interest in programming and developing their coding skills. Mr Macleod, Ms Peers and Mr Williams were impressed with the speed and skill demonstrated by the MTS coding novices and they look forward to the national roll out in the New Year.

PMC

Helen O’Neill ran hour-long PMC (Precious Metal Clay) workshops, allowing MTS students to get hands on experience when working with PMC, a smart material, which can be worked like clay but once fired becomes fine metal. Small groups produced small items of jewellery using Silver PMC, which were returned to MTS once the material had been fired and polished. MTS U3rd Form pupils are no strangers to PMC having used the material when making authentic roman coins as part of a cross-curricular project between Classics and DT last year, kindly organised by Head of Classics, Mr Harrison.

Laserlines

Jane Gibbons and Dan Curtis from Laserlines, a 3D printer company with links to Formula 1, are partners in this year’s MTS DT CAD CAM competition. Jane and Dan spent Monday and Tuesday of Design Week demonstrating 3D printing techniques in the Dudley Cox CAD/CAM Hub, and highlighting the differences between the different printing systems. They came equipped with a variety of excellent 3D printed examples including hip replacement parts (unused) printed in titanium.

Arkwright Application Process

Mr. Coleman kindly organised an evening for students considering making applications for Arkwright scholarships. Teachers from other schools involved in Arkwright, or interested in becoming involved, were also present, and Mr Bannister, who has taken over the running of the programme at MTS this year, supported the event.

The Arkwright Scholarships Trust exists to encourage students into Engineering. We were delighted to welcome 50 attendees and offer students a chance to meet current Arkwright scholars. We were also able to celebrate the achievements of our Arkwright alumni. MTS have the enviable record of over 50 scholars and we currently hold the national record for a single year of seven scholars. Steve Cornish and Mr Coleman talked about the scholarship programme and the benefits to be gained by successful applicants before they made a presentation of certificates to two boys who had gained their scholarships this year but were unable to attend the Presentation Ceremony in London during half term.

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