Delivered by Hudson Architects (Norwich), this session had students design buildings to fit a city footprint. They chose a ‘plot of land’ and created scale models of buildings—with full creative control. As the city expanded throughout the day, they had to think spatially and collaboratively. It was particularly engaging for girls and creative thinkers, and there were several nods to local life—including three Co-ops and several fish and chip shops!

STEM Ambassadors from RAF Marham opened with a mini-lesson on the science of flight, then challenged students to make and test paper aircraft. Along the way, they learned about aerodynamics—and RAF career paths in aviation and engineering.

Led by retired space engineer and STEM Ambassador Paul McMahon—who worked on the actual Mars Rover—students used K’Nex to design and build model Mars rovers. His career story—full of humour and real insight—made space engineering feel personal and achievable, especially for students who don’t usually identify with STEM.

Funded through the Neon bursary scheme and delivered by Dominic Surry from SkillsSupply, this session introduced simple block-based coding using Sphero bolt robots on a simulated Mars surface. Visually rich, tactile, and accessible, it was a standout for SEND students and those with limited prior experience of coding.

Local boatbuilders Neil Thompson and Rachel Bould led this workshop on buoyancy, hull design, and water displacement. Students applied their learning to build and test their boats in a paddling pool, choosing materials and refining their designs as they went. The inclusive, low-pressure nature of the task meant all students could succeed—especially those with learning differences or low confidence.