As part of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Creative Arts, and Maths) week on 12-16 March, Blackheath High School sent its parents back to school and challenged students to a series of activities including welding and creating a musical boghorn.

From a Science-based Harry Potter potions class during which Year 6 students created an array of concoctions including ‘Exploding Filibusters’ to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance club, the sessions aimed to challenge students and encourage them to try something new based around the theme of STEAM.

In the welding class, Year 10 girls donned protective boiler suits and auto darkening helmets, and braved temperatures exceeding 1000C to turn lumps of sheet steel into bookends. Head of Design Technology, Mr Masters, said: “Along with being exciting and fun, this welding session informed students about more traditional technology and more importantly, introduced techniques traditionally considered to be part of the male domain.”

As part of a ‘Back to School’ evening, Blackheath High School parents undertook a range of different workshops from heart dissections to design and laser cutting, and Shakespeare to Rock School (performing in their own band for one evening only).

Head, Carol Chandler-Thompson, said: “Whilst we champion these subjects throughout the year, STEAM week at Blackheath High School is a week in the academic year where we celebrate Science, Technology, Engineering, Creative Arts, and Maths with some quirky and fun activities that proudly ignore gender stereotypes. We were delighted that parents could join in, reliving their student days by coming back to school and experiencing what their daughters’ lessons are like every day!”