MINIATURE engineers and pint-sized architects were hard at work in Prudhoe last week, building their own kingdoms from cardboard.

Pupils at Adderlane First School took part in a ‘cardboard day,’ designing and constructing a special playground for their toys.

The event, on Friday, May 20, was organised to kick-start fund-raising for an ‘invention shed’ at the school.

The custom-designed shed will be filled with reclaimed materials for creative use and will provide an alternative classroom space for creative, design and engineering projects.

A specialist mentor will work with school staff to provide workshops and training in the use of tools.

The shed is part of Adderlane First School’s drive to narrow the skills gap and encourage children to develop creative and problem-solving skills.

The school is currently redesigning its curriculum to enhance children’s learning in the areas of motivation, innovation, creativity and STEM [science, technology engineering and mathematics].

Headteacher Emma Potts said: “At Adderlane, academic subjects and achievements are of utmost importance, but we also want our children to develop their creative skills.

“We believe if the children are confident in with these skills they will be more successful and likely to gain good jobs in the region, enabling them to have opportunity and aspiration.

“We recognise that employers in the North-East are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit STEM-skilled staff.

“We see it as crucial that our pupils, regardless of their future career pathway, have the knowledge and skills they need to be an informed citizen in an increasingly scientific and technological society.”