Innovation and STEAM at BHS
In 2020, we opened the Innovation Centre, a state-of-the-art structure that boasts five science labs, two computer science and robotics labs, a creation and innovation space, a digital media studio, a library, and a leadership room.
The Innovation Centre, intended to be a hub for collaboration, also includes the Buchanan Learning Commons at its core. Deliberately designed to bring students together, the space encourages collaboration and the sharing of understandings and perspectives; the Buchanan Commons are surrounded by glass-fronted classrooms, which not only spur curiosity but provide writable space for students to engage, in addition to numerous whiteboards.
Incorporating the Arts
While many schools on the island have implemented STEM programmes, we at BHS felt that it was essential to embrace the importance of the Arts. Exceedingly popular with our student body, the Arts play an essential role in development and continuously intersect with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in many ways. This is particularly true when considering the aesthetic side of disciplines such as programming, architecture, app development and website design, to name a few.
STEAM in Primary
STEAM education encourages young girls to think critically, take thoughtful risks, and problem-solve. It allows them to engage in collaborative group work and experiential learning with their peers. In the primary years, we incorporate STEAM into our curriculum so that our girls can explore, question, research, discover, and innovate; they will carry these traits into the Secondary department and beyond. STEAM has developed in the Primary department through subject-specific projects from the International Primary Curriculum and cross-departmental learning opportunities, which bring the girls to the Innovation Centre. During the 2023-2024 school year, we have seen our Year 3 students explore boat building in The Renaissance Re Creation and Innovation Space; our Year 6 students built balloon rockets as part of their study of gravity, while the Year 4s partnered with the Year 9s to learn about forces through a parachute drop project.
Utilising STEAM Beyond The Classroom
A STEAM curriculum isn’t just about becoming an expert in the related academic areas, it is also about having the ability to utilise the skills that our students learn to collaborate and solve problems using a variety of approaches and technologies. It is with this vision in mind that we see students in PE using iPads and Coachwise to help them analyse their performance so that they can work to improve. In Drama, our students work hard to create costumes, lights and set designs that enhance the actors' work. In Business Studies, the Year 9 students built products designed to fill a gap in the market, which they then pitched to a judging panel of professionals. In the Secondary department, students have more freedom to explore the opportunities that a STEAM education presents.
STEAM Week
Held every year in June, STEAM Week is a chance for Secondary students to work in groups to solve a problem through the five components of STEAM; Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics.
STEAM Week enhances the educational experience of the STEAM curriculum by allowing students to apply their learning to real-world situations. This year, students had the option to take part in a myriad of opportunities, including:
- an archaeological dig
- PADI certified scuba diving
- flight in a small aircraft
- exploring stage production
- food sustainability and innovative farming practices
These activities took place across the island with the support of several local agencies. At the end of the week, each group created and presented a video identifying the problem at hand and providing a solution.
