Year 11 Product Design students had an incredible opportunity on 3rd December 2025 when the KIER construction team visited for an action-packed STEAM challenge!

The session kicked off with an inspiring presentation about the wide range of careers in construction—opening students’ eyes to the possibilities of shaping the world around us.

Then came the real test:, a hands-on building project that pushed their skills in project management, budgeting, engineering, and surveying to the limit. Working from a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) blueprint, teams had to memorise the structure, purchase blocks at set prices, and manage their time and money wisely to create the closest match to the original design.

The competition was fierce! Every decision mattered—every second counted. In the end, the winning team proved themselves masters of strategy and precision, delivering a build that was both cost-effective and impressively accurate.

What a fantastic way to combine creativity, problem-solving, and real-world skills!

Mrs Sarah Shepherd

Head of Product Design

The Purbeck Sixth Form had the pleasure of welcoming back the Many Faiths Together team. Many Faiths are indeed this, a combination of speakers representing faiths across a broad spectrum: Lynda (Judaism), Sister Tama (Islam), Sali (Buddhism), James and Gary (Christian) and David (Humanist). Over the course of two sessions, the group addressed questions from the Year 12 and 13 cohorts which included what happens after we die, attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals and communities, to what degree religious parents should influence their children and discrimination due to one’s faith.

The overriding message came in the agreement that having love and compassion for our fellow humans is key. It was recognised too, as David noted when discussing Humanism, that the core values of our sixth form and school promote care, compassion and also ambition for oneself through our commitment to kindness, aspiration and perseverance.

Our visitors, students and staff benefited from a very positive coming together, one that was particularly fitting on Remembrance Day. We look forward to working with Many Faiths again.

On Wednesday, this year’s cohort on The National Trust’s Leadership Programme made their first outside learning visit as we visited Hartland Farm near Corfe Castle. We were welcomed by The National Trust’s Jill (Senior Volunteering & Community Officer and Mark (Countryside Manager), and Jake the tenant farmer at Hartland. The group of Year 12 and 13 students eagerly grasped binoculars and set off on a tractor trailer tour of the farm’s extensive land. Jake educated us about leading ecological initiatives including tree planting and the benefits of bull pits which are dug by bulls and can create unique, localised habitats for pioneer plants and insects.