Gloucestershire-based engineering company Renishaw has awarded £10,000 of prize money to six local schools that entered its Super Science competition, held in collaboration with the Bristol Post and Bristol Live.

They will use the money to purchase resources and fund activities related to the STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering and maths.

This year’s Super Science competition saw 3,348 prize draw entries submitted by 130 schools, before six were selected at random.

They recently visited Renishaw’s ((www.renishaw.com/educationoutreach) headquarters near Wotton-under-Edge, where they learnt about the company’s world-leading technologies and its large investment in STEM education programmes.

David Smith, the Principal of Mangotsfield School, said: “We are going to invest some of the money in high-quality science equipment, so that pupils can participate in the British Science Association’s CREST Awards.

"This will enable them to engage in additional STEM activities and prepare for studying STEM at a higher level.”

David Forrester, Headteacher at Stoke Bishop Primary School, said: “Our staff and parents are keen to build on the children’s STEM learning, and we are grateful to Renishaw for the opportunity to do something different.

"Thanks to the prize money, we are going to make a room in the school our Innovation Hub, where we will set challenges that require critical thinking and problem solving.”