Primary school pupils from across Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust took part in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and healthcare-focused day at Shireland Biomedical UTC in West Bromwich. The event was designed to introduce them to future pathways in science, healthcare and renewable energy.
Year 5 pupils from Wallbrook Primary Academy, Lightwoods Primary Academy, Shireland Technology Primary, Newfield Park Primary Academy, Holyhead Primary Academy and Tameside Primary Academy attended the event, which was delivered in partnership with Solar for Schools.
The day brought together two strands of learning that are increasingly central to the Trust and Shireland Biomedical UTC: sustainability and health education.
Workshops were delivered in partnership with Solar for Schools, a not-for-profit organisation that supports schools to adopt solar energy and use it as a teaching resource for sustainability and climate education.
Pupils also took part in a ‘Mini Medics’ experience in the UTC’s mock hospital ward, where they worked through simple clinical scenarios to develop basic first aid skills and see how simulation is used in healthcare training. This included a short CPR course in the Academy’s immersive room.
The visit also provided an early introduction to a secondary and post-16 learning environment, with specialist equipment and subject-specific spaces to reflect real-world industry settings.
Gulfam Shahzad, Principal at Shireland Biomedical UTC, said: “What makes opportunities like this so valuable is the way they bring pupils from across the Trust together to learn in a shared environment that feels very different from their usual classroom. It gives them access to specialist spaces and experiences they would not normally have at primary level, and you can see how that broadens their thinking straight away.
“More importantly, it helps them start to understand themselves as part of a wider journey through the Trust, where each stage builds on the last. For many pupils, this is the first time they have properly seen what those future pathways in healthcare, science and sustainability might look like in practice.”
The programme forms part of the Trust’s wider commitment to sustainability and STEM engagement across its primary and secondary provision, supported by its solar energy work with Solar for Schools. Solar panels have been installed across the Trust’s 12 academies, helping to reduce energy use while also providing a live context for classroom learning about climate change and renewable technologies.
Wendy Litherland, Head of Education at Solar for Schools, said: “We’re delighted to have supported Shireland Collegiate Academy trust in providing hands-on STEM learning for their primary children linked to the solar on their rooftops. We look forward to collaborating on future events.”
Following the success of the event, Shireland Biomedical UTC hopes to offer further outreach opportunities of this kind in the future in collaboration with external Trust partners.
To learn more about Solar for Schools, visit their website.
