James Dyson Foundation has pledged £6m to Malmesbury Primary School in Wiltshire to fund a new educational centre for teaching STEAM on the condition that plans are approved and pupil numbers expanded.
The Foundation has pledged a £6m investment to Malmesbury Primary School in Wiltshire to fund a new educational center for teaching science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM). The funding could help the school take in 50% more pupils, and engineers from Dyson will work “very closely” with the school to develop new curriculums to inspire young people.
The new funding is conditional on plans being approved and pupil numbers expanded, could help the school take in 50% more pupils. The centre will include cutting-edge facilities, and engineers from Dyson will work “very closely” with the school to develop new curriculums that inspire young people.
The company’s global head of the Dyson Foundation, Juliet Charman, told BBC Radio Wiltshire that Dyson is “really excited” about the opportunities for the school and the children studying there. With an annual shortfall of engineering talent in the UK, the company hopes the STEAM centre will “excite young people at a very young age about engineering careers.”
Malmesbury Primary School’s headteacher, Steve Heal, said the school is “thrilled” to have the foundation’s support to expand the school and bring “wonderful new learning opportunities to all our pupils”. Sir James Dyson said: “Dyson has grown in Malmesbury for the past 30 years and many of our engineers either studied at Malmesbury school themselves or have their own children there now.” He said creating a new STEAM centre in Malmesbury will enable the school to be “a pioneer for this age range, encouraging problem-solving and hopefully long lives as engineers”.
This investment is a part of the James Dyson Foundation’s ongoing commitment to inspiring the next generation of engineers, scientists, and designers.
It is hoped that the cutting-edge facilities and curriculum development provided by Dyson, young pupils at Malmesbury Primary School will have a unique opportunity to explore and expand their potential in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths. This centre will not only benefit the school and its pupils but will also play a role in addressing the shortfall of engineering talent in the UK, paving the way for future generations of engineers to lead and innovate in their field.
