Malvern St James Minis
Full Steam Ahead
At MSJ, we believe that science and the arts go hand-in-hand; STEAM is the new STEM. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths, and incorporates the arts into the traditional teaching and understanding of STEM subjects, recognising the importance of creativity, innovation, intuition and imagination.
"The arts help with experimentation, creating an innovative mindset, when you fuse that with science, technology and mathematics that’s when exciting things can happen."
OLIVERA RARATY, HEADMISTRESS
Our pupils' passion for STEAM subjects is plain to see from our most recent exam results. 100% of candidates achieved A*-B in Art, Chemistry, Drama, Geography, Music and Product Design. Our 2022 A Level results showed the breadth of interests of the girls at MSJ and particularly demonstrated our commitment to STEAM.
At GCSE, results in STEAM subjects were also strong. 100% of awards in Design and Technology were grades 9 to 7; 67% in Biology and Computing, 66% in Physics, 65% in Mathematics, and 63% in Chemistry.
Head of STEAM
Head of STEAM at MSJ, Mrs Isla Whitmore, is leading our new initiative to give the arts, humanities and scientific subjects equal weighting both in and out of the classroom – with the aim of creating well-rounded, critical thinkers who can work collaboratively.
Mrs Whitmore states that STEAM seeks to emphasise that there is no division between the old right-brain/left-brain definitions. We make the most of our learning if we consider it as a holistic environment, which encourages creativity, discussion and innovation – and uses the breadth of our knowledge and logical thought in creative and exciting ways.
"Creative thought is at the heart of making scientific progress; often, those who are successful step away from the traditional scientific process and bring a fresh approach to a problem."Click here to read a recent interview with Mrs Whitmore speaking about our approach to integrating the arts and science.
Hear from the Headmistress
STEAM Clubs & Extra-Curricular Activities
Of course, learning and exploration does not only take place inside the classroom. At MSJ, there are over 100 extra-curricular clubs to choose from, many of which centre around STEM subjects. From Gold Crest Awards, MedSoc (Medicine Society) to Clever Creators, there is always something to discover outside of lessons.
Trips are an exciting part of the curriculum, and recent visits have included the Malvern Festival of Innovation, McLaren and Morgan Motor Cars, and the Mechanical Art & Design Museum in Stratford. Pupils are also encouraged to enter competitions such as the TeenTech Awards, where in 2023 several teams from MSJ made it to the final in London and one team were crowned winners in the Safety & Security category.
Photos by TeenTech 2023
Celebrating British Science Week at MSJ
British Science Week is an annual celebration of science, technology, engineering, and maths, coordinated by the British Science Association. Each year at MSJ we run a week of workshops, competitions and more to give pupils the opportunity to explore a huge range of STEM topics - click the links below to read all about our recent British Science Week activities.
Real World Benefits
Being a good communicator, an innovator and an intuitive thinker are all skills that enable us to adapt swiftly to a range of challenges, and are all skills that our STEAM programme looks to develop in our young scientists, engineers, musicians, artists, and mathematicians. The world is rapidly changing and today's pupils need to draw on all these skills to rise to those inherent challenges.
We would love for your daughter to experience our STEAM programme in action. Use the links below to get in touch with our friendly admissions team and book a personal tour, taster day or request more information about MSJ's STEAM provision.