A Dorchester school has had a big part to play in the launch of a national initiative to inspire children to learn.

A half size cathedral was 'built' in The Prince of Wales School's playfield by headteacher Gary Spracklen to live stream the launch of the #InspiredToLearn Summer Tour by STEAM Co. with co-founder and father Nick Corston.

A welcome assembly from the cathedral featured stories about the importance of finding your art and aiming high and pupils are enjoying a day of creative activities - coding, design, inventing and making/firing paper rockets over 200 feet using a high pressure launch system.

During the day, a drone filmed the site, and children saw a real dynamite rocket launched in from of them and their parents or carers.

Headteacher Mr Spracklen said: "Everything we do here at the school is about ensuring that our children are inspired to learn, by making learning fun and enjoyable, children achieve so much more.

"A passion they discover today could become their livelihood tomorrow, if not make them a few friends and the world a better place."

STEAM Co. received a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund and Arts Council England to run live and live streamed events like this for communities across the UK.

Mr Corston has also just been named as the UK Country Champion for the UN's World Creativity Weeks from April 15 to 21.

He said: "There's a lot of talk about our kids 'catching up' but that needs to be more than just literacy and numeracy, they need to be inspired creatively to aim high, to fly high and to find and use their art, whatever it is."

Working with Professor Stephen Heppell, globally acclaimed educationalist, STEAM Co. will also give the children access to a website where they can document their achievements in lockdown and print a certificate proclaiming them members of the 'Golden Generation'.

Prof Heppell said: "For almost a year our children escaped the confined of the education system and all learned so much and did things they might not have done at school.

"We not only have to celebrate that, but help them do that which is why we created this certificate for this Golden Generation."

For more information, visit steamco.org.uk

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