Smallpiece Trust engineering courses

[bruffin]

Anyone elses dc gone on one of the above courses aimed at yr9 and above. Looks interesting but would like to know if they are worth it

Yes.
My Ds did "engineering experience" in year 9 and a "materials engineering" in year 10.
Both were excellent.

Thanks I am sure DS would enjoy it.

If they're as good as they were 15 years ago, then it's definitely worth it!

I went on courses in years 8,10 and 12, and they used to do a gap year too.

If your DC is interested in science/ engineering then they are really good. You meet "real life" engineers and learn lots of soft-skills too.

I went on to become an engineer, and as a female in a male dominated industry (I have 35 men working for me, and only know of a few women in the country doing what I do) it was really useful to understand what I was getting myself into!

This thread has been really helpful. We had never heard of this Trust, but DS has now applied to go on a course at Portsmouth, and we will bookmark it for other courses. Thanks mnetters.

It makes you wonder how many other hidden gems there are out there !
I found out about it on the school website

JustgettingByMum, your DS will have a great time!
My child was the first to go from his school, but clearer some other schools were "in the know" and sent a few children. It didn't matter at all being the only child from his school, as those that came in groups were split up anyway. I wrote to the head of D and T at his school afterwards to say how good it was, and the school has subsequently encouraged other children to go.

Wolfbrother - thanks for your post. That's really reassuring.
Just found out that DS has got a place on the Electrical Engineering course at Portsmouth, but doesnt know anybody else there so it's good to hear that the groups are split up.

Hello! I did the above mentioned gap year (ahem) 14 years ago this summer, I was in the first group to do it. It was bloody brilliant, thanks to them I can weld! And do other things, but the welding sticks in my memory. I would wholeheartedly recommend them, based on my admittedly aincent experience. Barbeasty, did you do the gap year?

JGBMum, Kids from the same school are most definitely split up.
They are usually put in groups of 4 for the project work, and often subdivide within that to pairs to work on the various tasks. On one course my son (from a rural comp) was with one child from an inner London comp, one overseas border from an independent school and one who actually was educated in France but whose first language was Japanese! All four of them had distinctive accents and they had to work hard with the communication...but that is part of the point, working together to solve problems. It was an incredibly valuable experience.

I seem to remember that he socialised with the other kids on the corridor of his accommodation block, including one kid from Eton and one from aforementioned London comp.

He'll love it.

Wolfbrother - thanks for info, DS's really looking forward to this course. My DC are at a small town comp, so no real experience of working with such a range of students, should be fun.

TheFowlAndThePussyCat: I did the gap year, on the 2nd year it was run. I remember forging a crowbar at Seal Hayne, as well as living with nuns whilst doing the 3 months working in Belgium.

Thanks for this. My son did a course over Easter, had a great time and made some good friends.

Recommended.

thats good, DS has had a lot of trips through school this year so will probably go next year.

DS just returned from his course - he is buzzing!!
The whole experience has been really positive.

Thanks to Mumsnetters from me too. DS has been at Easter and also just returned on Friday(another buzzing son here too!). He has had a fantastic time. As well as engineering experience he has also gained valuable social skills.

What a great organisation

This organisation has the course brochure for y9 - y12 for 2010-11 available now online. Would really recommend these to anyone with dc interested in science or engineering. (And no, I dont work for them!)