Grant transforms forgotten space into outdoor science area at Ark Tindal Primary
Every year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust Small Grants programme gives out grants of up to £20,000 to support science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) education projects in the West Midlands. We have funded many different projects across all areas of STEM supporting learning development for young students.
Here is another great example of the type of work we do and shows the power of what the grants funding can achieve for STEM organisations.
Who is Ark Tindal Primary?
Ark Tindal is a KS2 and 2 primary school for children aged 3-11 in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. They are part of the Ark Schools Network following transition in 2021.
Why did they apply for a Millennium Point grants?
The primary school had a disused outdoor space and wanted to enhance their STEM curriculum by transforming it. The area would support biology sessions of different topics from identifying plants to studying bug habitats and pond dipping.
The updated space would allow students to plan different types of scientific methods and processes to answer questions.. The science area would have a renewable zone where the children can learn about the environment.
What impact has the project made?
With the help of the grant the science area has enhanced the key learning in KS1 and 2 STEM subjects. Using the creative space students can see the practical applications of what they learn in the classroom.
Aesthetically, it gives the school a vibrant outdoor green space for students to explore. Ark Tindal students are also given the chance to learn the importance of sustainability and the environment around them. Some students wouldn’t have access to this type of space otherwise.
Ark Tindal Primary were ‘delighted’
Ark Tindal Primary said ‘We are delighted to have been awarded the Millennium Point Charitable Trust grant, as it will enable us to enrich the lives of our pupils through our vision of a STEM is driven learning environment. Over time, we envisage this benefitting the community as a whole and not just pupils attending our school. Throughout our curriculum, which is tailored to our pupils and their life experiences both now and in the future, we want them to understand that renewable energy and energy conservation is becoming increasingly important in everyday life as fossil fuel reserves start to wane. Through our science garden, we will entrench knowledge and appreciation of sustainable living in our pupils from an early age.’
Grants are now open!
Educators, Charities and Not-for-Profits within the West Midlands Combined Authority can apply for up to £20,000 from Millennium Point to fund their STEM activity. Over the past five years, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust has awarded over £2 million to charities, not-for-profits, community groups and schools to further STEM education.
Applications for the STEM Grant Programme are now open and set to close at 5pm on 3rd December 2021. You can apply on our website here.
Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.
