STUDENTS from Bohunt School competed in the finals of the BP Ultimate STEM Challenge at the Science Museum in London.

This was the second consecutive year in which Bohunt pupils reached the BP Ultimate STEM Challenge finals.

The national competition, launched in September 2016 by BP, STEM Learning and the Science Museum, challenges students aged 11 to 14 to put their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills to the test by tackling real-world energy problems.

Schools from all over the country took part in the competition for a chance to win an Ultimate STEM experience day and £500 for their school. This year, students were invited to use their creativity to design an energy efficient solution to one of three real-world challenges: rescue rockets, future flight or auto arms.

The Bohunt team developed their best ideas for the auto arms challenge, where they had to come up with an efficient design for a simple robot arm and gripper.

Bohunt School science teacher Stratianna Davi said: “This is the second consecutive year in which Bohunt pupils have reached the finals of a national STEM competition.

“I am very proud of Anna Holmwood, Louis Ridge-Mullen and Dominic Pitman and of the way that they worked.

“I truly believe that opportunities like this can transform the lives of students; education must not inevitably reflect and reproduce existing ways of thinking, but should encourage individuals to explore their worlds creatively and apply their knowledge in a real world context.”

The six finalist teams presented their work to an expert judging panel at the Science Museum on Monday, during British Science Week.

The students also had the chance to participate in a day of fun science activities.

Bohunt were awarded a special prize for ‘Thinking Creatively’ to mark their innovative use of technology and approach to scientific thinking.