New Engineering School For Newcastle

29 January 2014, 06:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A new school in Newcastle that offers qualifications in engineering, maths and science is on track to open its doors in September.

The £9 million Discovery school is being built now in the centre of Newcastle and will offer 14 to 19-year-olds a full education, but with the emphasis largely on engineering.

The school is being backed by North East businesses, who are crying out for engineers, with some leading engineers in the region helping to develop the curriculum with educators.

Principal Wendy Allen (pictured below with Phil Langton from Sir Robert McAlpine) told Capital:
"I am extremely proud that the North East is leading the way in this venture as we prepare to unveil a unique concept in education next year - a school with the sole purpose of producing young engineers.

Discovery School will open in the centre of Newcastle in September 2014 with a challenging curriculum that has been designed and adapted under the guidance of both experienced educators and some of the region's leading engineering experts.

With STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects central to the timetable, engineering will be at the heart of everything we do as we attempt to open up the minds and imaginations of our students to the opportunities available to them.

Engineering is far from the oily rag profession that the majority of people think it is.

If educators start to work with experts in the field, I believe we will begin to reverse the trend and produce some of the world's leading figures in the industry. The alternative, which is to sit back and do nothing, is not the answer."



The school will be attracting students from Newcastle, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham.

To find out more about Discovery School, you can go to one of their open evenings, which are held every Wednesday in the Discovery Room on Palace Street, off George Street, in Newcastle, between 5.30pm and 7pm.