Oundle School’s Design and Technology department, housed in The Patrick Centre, has for some time offered pupils the opportunity to build their own ‘off-road’ buggy, designed and developed by current Head of Design and Technology, Clive Humphreys and Technical Instructor, Raph Johnson.
Clive Humphreys commented, “The original concept was to build a safe, fun vehicle as a teaching aid for basic engineering fabrication techniques; folding, bending and welding as well as a little about automotive steering geometry; why cars go round corners effectively, that could all be built from recycled parts thus teaching sustainability as well. However the project has grown in scope and has now become a valuable teaching tool not only for the originally intended practical skills but also pupils have to learn lathe skills to help manufacture their own sub- axles, a little about advertising and marketing; the use of panelling for possible sponsors and of course the part they all love – driving skills.”
The buggies are powered by Honda 8HP engines with variable drive, so there is no clutch, just push the pedal and go with a brake to stop. The joy of the project is that the skills can be taught safely and well in very easy stages with no massive financial out lay and the pupils can fit the construction into their school routine using the weekends and the voluntary club system without it interfering with their academic studies. They can have real fun learning as they progress by taking the department demonstration buggies out for a practice drives to keep their enthusiasm up. Lower Sixth formers have also used the buggies to test the use of hybrid fuels and additives as part of their research projects.
Pupil quotes:
“amazing fun, heart racing experience but bring some padding” –Cory Flanagan (13)
“mind boggling exhilarating! Great experience” – Rafe Trundell (13)
“absolutely amazing, a must do” –Christian Monaghan (13)
“a shame we couldn’t do it for longer! Great fun!” – Charlie Comyns (13)
Clive added, “This versatile little vehicle, although without suspension ( the use of underinflated Mini wheels helps with that a great deal) is great fun to drive and parents get as much fun out of it as do both boys and girls. Oh yes, this is not just ‘boys toys’, girls are making them as well.”
Following in the tradition long established by former Headmaster, Frederick Sanderson (Headmaster from 1892-1922) the School’s Design and Technology Department goes from strength to strength and has become recognised as one of the foremost schools for science and engineering in the country.
Sanderson was appointed with the specific objectives of reorganising teaching, introducing fresh subjects of study, and raising pupil numbers and the status of the School. He succeeded in all these objectives, establishing the science and engineering departments. He built new laboratories and workshops, and introduced a co-operative method for engineering and other subjects. He was an authority on hydrostatics and electricity.
Sanderson’s passionate desire was to give Oundle’s pupils freedom to fulfil themselves and he directed that the laboratories should be left unlocked at all times, so that pupils could go in and work on their own research projects, even if unsupervised. The more dangerous chemicals were locked up, “but enough was left about to disturb the equanimity of other masters who had less faith than the Head in that providence which looks after the young.”
The same open door policy (albeit supervised!) applies to the School’s workshops today, which are amongst the finest in the country, filled with state-of-the-art machine tools which were Sanderson’s pride and joy. Sanderson’s hatred of any locked door which might stand between a pupil and some worthwhile enthusiasm symbolised his whole attitude to education.
Head of Design and Technology, Clive Humphreys commented, “The Patrick Centre prides itself in being able to facilitate pupils in all their engineering and design endeavors allowing them to experiment and problem solve in a safe, well equipped environment.
The Design and Technology department is housed in three buildings collectively known as the Patrick Centre (after former pupil Alex Patrick). The main body of the department is centred in two of the buildings, providing large interconnecting workshops and fabrication space with teaching areas and features:
• A machine shop equipped with manual and CNC engineering lathes/manual and CNC milling machines;
• A hot metal area for casting, a forge and hearths for braising and soldering;
• Woodturning lathes and benches;
• A CAD/CAM room with four CAD/CAM routers, a Laser Cutter and dedicated computers with specialised industrial software to integrate IT skills into all aspects of design and manufacture;
• Two computer rooms;
• A large dedicated welding area.
The third building contains a second computer room, a design studio and a microelectronics lab. All the areas are well equipped with hand tools and are maintained by qualified technicians.
Recent pupil successes include prestigious Arkwright Scholarships, a Stuart Pugh prize winner, an important national competition awarded by the Institute of Designer Engineers, and Gold awards from the CREST award scheme.
The department offers the pupils the time space and skills outside the curriculum to develop their individual paths with activities as varied as jewellery making, woodturning, off-road go-carts, hovercraft and the manufacture of fully road legal cars.
The School offers two Scholarships for Design and Technology, one at 13+ and one at 16+. Entry forms and further details are available from:
Mrs Helen Vincent
Undermaster's Assistant,
Oundle School, Peterborough, PE8 4GH
Telephone +44 (0)1832 277116
Fax +44 (0)1832 277119