Building Brighter Futures

With a deep history of trauma, Amelia, Year 6, was often disengaged at school. Specialist classes were especially challenging, and this took a toll on her confidence and outlook on life.

The LEGO STEM Discovery program at Austins Ferry Primary School, TAS is not just about building objects, it’s about building character. Through hands-on learning with LEGO BricQ sets, students are more engaged in STEM and at the same time are learning ways to regulate their behaviour and work in a team. The program is boosting children’s wellbeing and since it began, student withdrawals from STEM subjects have reduced by 42%.

For Amelia, a genuine interest in STEM has been sparked. She says: “I like how creative [LEGO] is. It has been fun. There is also lots of good teamwork. It has helped with my coding because before I didn’t know much about it, but now my eyes have been opened to it. I can solve the coding problems with my friend together.” 

The program’s success has led the school to join forces with other primary schools to extend its positive impact further.