Cams Hill School

Here is a case study we received from Nick Gibson, the Big Ideas programme lead teacher at Cams Hill School, Portsmouth, which
has participated in the programme for the last two years:

Cams Hill School first took part in the Big Ideas programme in 2018. This has had a beneficial effect on the pupils involved, inspiring at least one of the participants to pursue a career in an engineering discipline. I became involved when the school ran the programme again this year, acting as the school’s coordinator for
the event.

The programme has been a very effective avenue to channel the students’ general concern for the environment into tangible ideas. On the “Big Ideas Day” it was amazing to see how pupils who are usually quiet were quickly bringing ideas together and gaining the confidence to present their ideas to the school.

As a high-achieving school, Cams Hill is always looking for ways of stretching its most able pupils. The Big Ideas programme has certainly enabled this. It has been heartening to know that pupils are still engaged in this during lockdown, and I feel a great sense of excitement for them as the regional finals draw near.

This is a tremendous opportunity for pupils to flourish outside the normal curriculum, and I would recommend it to any school.