Jowett Walk has kept ORA students on their toes this week with intriguing excursions and guest speakers.

Introduction to Engineering Trip

A thrilling trip was in store for ORA students on the Engineering course, who went to the exhilarating rollercoaster-filled Thorpe Park.

Marvelling at the skyscraping rides and speedy coasters, students stopped for a few minutes to learn about how the park and its structural features were designed. They were also taught about the complex engineering systems that are in place to propel and pause the rides, giving a rounded understanding of the structural design of the Park.

During the workshop, students were given the chance to test out the ideas they had learnt using bendy poles and a ball to create their own rollercoaster. The group worked together incredibly well and tried various different shapes for their coaster, bringing their newfound knowledge into practice.

Of course, a trip to Thorpe Park wouldn’t be complete without letting pupils have a go on the rides! Some went for the tall and fast coasters, testing their limits, whilst others opted for those closer to earth. It was a full day of learning and thrills and was enjoyed all round.

Guest Speakers

Colin Brown and Dr Ben Winters visited Jowett Walk this week to give talks on Mars Colonisation and Music in Films respectively. Brown suggested the ways in which humans could live on Mars, detailing plans for water supplies and transportation, and amazed students with the concepts he presented.

Dr Winters, on the other hand, spoke about the composition of music and the emotion and drama that such tunes can add to major films. With extensive and critical knowledge of screen music, the talk introduced a number of ideas that pupils may not have thought about before and left them with a sense of the importance of music in film.

Salsa

Some students took part in a salsa class this week, trying to impress as they laughed and danced to the fiery music. A few had a natural talent for dance and found the activity to be challenging but quickly got the hang of it, whilst others took a bit longer to convince. Regardless of personal skill, by the end of the class everyone could salsa with confidence and we have seen many students practising together since.

Stay tuned to see what else ORA students at Jowett Walk will get up to this week.