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Last term, Mr Muir provided an opportunity for Year 7 to voluntarily participate in The Da Vinci Challenges that were hosted and ran by the University of Kent. For the duration of three weeks, Year 7 students were set a challenge each week that they had to complete and submit to Mr Muir. The first challenge was to draw, paint, and sketch or digitally create artwork capturing animal or plant anatomy. The second challenge was to design a structure or object that would be useful for humans and research or imagine why that shape was good for the plant or animal. Then they could design a structure or object for human use inspired by this form. The third challenge was to create a poster, advert, speech or video to persuade an investor to build your design from Challenge 2. All these entries were collected together and sent to the team at the University of Kent to be judged. Examples of some of our entries are still waiting for the winner to be announced.

'The Da Vinci Challenges are the University of Kent’s virtual outreach provision for year 7 and 8 students. They are a set of three connected, interdisciplinary challenges designed to deepen students’ understanding of science and art, and the way that different subject areas interact. Moving through observation and biological drawing, design and engineering, and marketing - the three challenges ask students to look at the world around them through different subject lenses and to step into the shoes of a university researcher to create something new and exciting.

By participating in The Da Vinci Challenges, students will build their creative and critical thinking skills, communications skills, confidence and, if applicable, teamwork skills. They will be introduced to The University of Kent as a partner, and to the diversity of higher education through our student ambassadors. The challenges have a competitive structure and winning entries can be published on our blog and social media.