THE engineering skills of the pupils at Denend Primary will see a racing car bearing the Cardenden school’s brand.

And already work of the Primary 5 kids at Denend have won a major award and now the 28 ‘mini engineers’ are committed to having their car running by the early summer.

The youngsters have been studying the work of renewable energy, as well as their racing car project, and with the help of Rod Macneal, of Solar and Wind Applications, have a very impressive display which is based around a small turbine.

It headed to Dundee with the pupils for the Scotish Council for Development and Industry Young Engineer and Science Club Scotland awards and their work impressed the judges as they took the Regional Primary Club of the Year title.

Adjudicators at the Young Engineers and Science Clubs Scotland event, held at Dundee Science Centre, Melanie Riddell, Programme Manager, and Grant Paton, Innovation Architect, Financial Applied Innovation Team, NCR Corporation, were impressed and said, “We thought the enthusiasm of the club members at Denend and range of projects was just fantastic.” And with the help of their teacher Graham Simpson; PT at Denend Primary, Catherine Sinclair; and retired FMC Technologies engineer, Stewart Sutherland; they are now concentrating on their racing car. The boiler suited team members told the Times that they had the basic chassis prepared and were now engaging in putting on the rear wheels and brake system before turning to the electric power unit, which will see their creation turning out speeds of up to 20mph, and then the body work.

As our picture shows the car is taking shape and thanks to sponsorship from Dunfermline company FMC they have the tools and know-how to make the project happen. Their teacher, Mr Simpson said, “They are a very committed group who have already shown that no engineering task is beyond them and they listen very closely to Stewart’s advice.” Mr Sutherland commented, “They really are a brilliant bunch, not only are they 100 percenters they very quickly pick-up the various techniques needed to tackle such a task as putting the brake system on the car.” Mrs Sinclair worked with the pupils from Denend who last year won the Scottish Formula 1 competition and she feels the P5 youngsters are really benefitting from the backing provided by FMC, “I believe that using STEM activities helps our pupils develop higher-order thinking skills. “Pupils are encouraged to think creatively and work collaboratively with others to complete these challenges. They are given opportunities to present their work in a range of ways including at whole school assembly, thus becoming confident individuals. I hope that they will, in the future, utilise these skills in the world of life and work. Not only will it establish the foundation for more advanced learning it will give a head start to those who go on to have future careers in the sciences and the technologies. “I am very proud of the achievements of our pupils and also the way in which they represented themselves and our community at the event in Dundee.” Ms Anne Stewart, the headteacher at Denend Primary, added, “The children have been experiencing rich, stimulating and challenging learning experiences relating to engineering that have motivated them. The sponsorship of FMC Technologies, along with the support of Stewart Sutherland, has enabled our children to see the connections between science, technology, engineering and maths. I am very proud of their many achievements.”