The pupils were divided into three groups and had the opportunity to either create a wooden bridge model or make their own pizza, all under the professional guidance of teachers from both St Mary’s and St Joseph’s.

In the Design and Technology (DT) classroom, Mr Hunt, Head of Design Technology at St Mary’s, introduced and demonstrated the process of constructing a wooden bridge using the technical equipment in the DT room. With support from Mr Hunt and the primary teachers from St Joseph’s, pupils used engineer squares, vices, and various saws to measure and cut pieces of pine wood.

“It’s wonderful that we at St Mary’s can provide DT facilities for primary pupils to experience woodworking. The design of a wooden bridge involves mathematics, science, and structural concepts. All these practical elements are valuable for primary pupils,” Mr Hunt said.

Before their visit to St Mary’s, the Year 5 pupils had already been introduced to the basics of DT through a classroom experiment using spaghetti. Miss Roque, class teacher at St Joseph’s, shared, “Yesterday, the pupils learned about different types of bridges and which designs are stronger. We used spaghetti instead of wooden pieces to practise building bridges!”

Both Mr Hunt and Miss Roque praised the pupils for demonstrating their abilities and applying their mathematical knowledge to solve challenges throughout the bridge-building process.

Year 5 pupils Natalie and Jenna shared that the most difficult part was cutting the wood accurately. “We needed to cut the wood at the correct angle (45 degrees) and to the exact length,” Jenna explained. Despite the challenges, both girls were pleased with their final product. “It’s all about teamwork — we are proud of ourselves!” they said.

In the food preparation classroom, another group of pupils busily worked on making their own pizzas, from kneading the dough to adding a variety of toppings. During the activity, pupils also learned about food safety and nutrition from the St Mary’s teacher.

Year 5 pupil Merlin said that although he had made pizza at home before, it was his first-time kneading dough. “We had to knead it carefully because we would not get a second chance with the dough.”

Year 9 students Grace and Isabelle from St Mary’s volunteered to assist the Year 5 pupils with food preparation. As a former pupil of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School (Bishop’s Stortford), Grace said, “It’s so nice that these primary pupils have the opportunity to experience secondary school life.”

As an alumna of both St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and St Mary’s Catholic School, Miss Roque expressed her gratitude for the opportunity provided by the Trust family. “I am grateful that St Mary’s offers this wonderful experience to St Joseph’s pupils in DT and food preparation.”