On your marks, get set, kart!
Dressed in their custom-made engineering overalls, a group of year four and five pupils at Catton Grove Primary School in Norwich have been learning how to build and test drive a go-kart – Formula Goblin.
With the help of KLM (UK) Engineering academy based at Norwich International Airport, the pupils have been taught everything from engine performance to how to steer the go-kart.
Yesterday, the after school Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) club took their newly built go-kart for a spin in the school playground.
The kart will be used by the team as they take part in various race days across the country.
George Bensley, a teacher at Catton Grove, said: 'Having KLM UK support our STEM activities is amazing, what better way to educate and enthuse youngsters about engineering and design.
'More companies should invest in communities and schools in this way.
'The idea behind this is to provide a platform for the pupils to learn these skills but in relevant situations. We're giving them the opportunity to apply maths and other subjects to the real world.
'It means a lot to the pupils and not every school in the country has this.'
KLMUKE helped the children build the go kart made from aircraft aluminium which is fully recyclable.
The Catton Grove STEM team recently won a robotics award in a competition held at a neighbouring school and have spent the rest of the school year coding, programming and flying mini helicopters.
A KLMUKE spokesman said: 'We are delighted to be supporting Catton Grove STEM Club with engineering advice for the Goblin Go-Karting challenge that they are involved in.'
Glenn Wilkin, KLMUKE supervisor, will be supporting the group at their after school club to help keep them on track with the engineering of the kart. He said: 'Catton Grove approached us last year and asked for an engineering company to assist them.
'We did the body made the body work for them on one go-kart and they made the second one on their own.
'Catton Grove are local to us and we're more than happy to help out as they're potentially our future apprentices.
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