The school has just completed the DPSM STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) National Excellence Award Programme. The DPSM STEM Excellence Award Programme is part of the Science Foundation Ireland Awards programme for schools. The Award is designed for schools that adopt a whole school approach to engaging students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Alongside the normal teaching objectives of the school curricula in these areas the school runs dedicated focus weeks on Science, Engineering and Mathematics. There are Science and Technology clubs available in the school as after school activities. During our open day the visiting children got many opportunities to sample the activities the boys have enjoyed throughout this school year. One of the most popular activities tried out by many visitors to the school was the Volcano making experiments set up by Second Class pupils – the smell of vinegar said it all on the day! The school collaborates with outside agencies and groups who specialise in the STEM areas. The children and their families were able to view items constructed during the whole school engineering construction week organised in the school this year. Science Week 2015/16 resulted in endeavours in the construction and programming of LEGO designs. Visitors to the school heard about and viewed photographs of one of the highlights of the year-long STEM programme that involved workshops for the pupils with past-pupil, Mr. Niall Leahy, Engineer and Mr. Hugh Smiddy, Head of Business Development at the Tyndall Institute at University College Cork.
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