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News Release, Thursday 13 January 2022

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GRANGEMOUTH FLOOD PROTECTION SCHEME LAUNCHES STEM PROGRAMME WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS

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  • The Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme’s “budding” flood engineers have started work on its new STEM education programme for schools, which launched this week, (January 13, 2022)

  • STEM is curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four disciplines – science, technology, engineering and mathematics

  • The programme has been developed with Falkirk Council’s education department in conjunction with the Jacobs STEM team for primary schools and is now also open to youth groups across the scheme area on request

  • Twelve primary schools have also received learning resources which are flexibly designed to be deliverable in schools or digitally from home

  • The programme is for Primary 6 and Primary 7 where pupils and students learn about the effects of flooding, how homes and business can be protected from floods and the kind of jobs available within the project

  • Grangemouth Sea Cadets have requested to take part in the programme will also be taking part in the programme, which is also open to other local organisations for children in the same age group across the scheme area. Groups can email grangemouthfps@falkirk.gov.uk to take part

  • Participants will be asked to design their own flood protection solutions by April 1st, 2022, which will then be showcased to industry experts in the judging competition

  • The winning designs will then be presented at a special prize giving event at the Zetland Park Science Festival in 2022

  • The STEM programme aims to engage with 100 local school pupils in its first year

  • The Grangemouth Flood Protection scheme (GFPS) will protect 5800 people, 2650 homes, 330 businesses and road and rail infrastructure

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The Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme’s “budding” flood engineers have started work on its new STEM education programme for schools.

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Learning resources have already been sent to twelve local schools, and the programme officially got underway this week (January 13, 2022) and runs until April 1st, 2022. The learning resources have been flexibly designed so that they can be delivered by teachers, or leaders, in schools or accessed digitally at home.

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Grangemouth Sea Cadets have also requested to take part in the programme, which is now be open to other youth organisations local to the scheme area. They can get involved by emailing grangemouthfps@falkirk.gov.uk.

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STEM is learning focused on four disciplines – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The programme has been designed for pupils in Primary 6 and Primary 7, and GFPS aim to engage with 100 pupils through the STEM programme in its first year.

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Pupils and children will learn about flooding and the need for the flood protection scheme, some of the technical options available to flood engineers, and the pros and cons of each, as well as finding out about the wide range of jobs available on this type of project.

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At the end of the programme, the students’ knowledge will be put to the test when they are asked to design their own flood protections solutions to showcase to a panel of industry experts in a final judging competition.  The winning designs will be presented at a special prize giving event at the Zetland Park Science Festival in 2022.

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Falkirk Council’s spokesperson for the environment, Paul Garner, said: “We are excited to have launched the STEM programme in our local schools and I think it will be a fantastic way for the pupils to start the new year.

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“The STEM programme is designed to be fun and engaging, and to give the students more information on flooding and why the scheme is necessary. We’ve invited primary schools based in the scheme area to take part and we hope to roll the programme out to secondary schools in the not-too-distant future.

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“I can’t wait to see what ideas the pupils and other groups come up with when it comes to designing their own flood solutions!”

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Leigh Watson, Education Team Manager at Falkirk Council, said: “We’re delighted to have launched this programme which is a fantastic opportunity for young people in the local area to gain an insight into one of the largest flood protection schemes in the UK.

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“All twelve primary schools in the scheme area have been sent learning packs and we hope the pupils will be excited with the opportunity to show their creativity by designing their own flood protection solutions at the end of the programme.

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“I’m sure the innovative ideas they come up with will impress the industry experts when they present their ideas. We hope it inspires some of the pupils to pursue future careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

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To find out more about the STEM programme or if you are one of the twelve schools and have not yet received your learning pack, please email grangemouthfps@falkirk.gov.uk.

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Falkirk Council is leading the development of Scotland’s largest flood protection scheme. Backed by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).  It is seen as the highest priority flood protection scheme in Scotland.

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The Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme will protect 5800 people, 2650 homes, 330 businesses and road and rail infrastructure. It will also provide almost 27km (17 miles) of flood defence walls, embankments, the installation of flood gates, flow regulation measures and drainage work. The scheme will also include works at the entrance to the Port of Grangemouth and within the petrochemical complex.

 

Climate change and the risk of flooding is on the rise and can result in more frequent intense rainfall and higher sea levels, unfortunately Grangemouth and surrounding areas are affected by both tidal and river flooding. The scheme is seen as unique as it covers coastal flooding from the Forth Estuary and river flooding from the River Carron, River Avon and the Grange Burn.

 

Falkirk Council is determined to provide better protection for the town and surrounding areas and is working with its consultant Jacobs to design, plan and manage the new flood defences. Construction could start in 2024 and be complete by 2035.

Further information is available on our website https://www.grangemouthfloodscheme.com/.


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Follow us on twitter and Facebook @grangemouthfps. 


For more information please contact:
Julie Pirone
Communications and Stakeholder Manager, Jacobs
julie.pirone@jacobs.com
07711 446358

 

Gary Henderson

Stakeholder Engagement and Communications, Jacobs

gary.henderson@jacobs.com

07805 034552


David Grindlay
Communications Team Leader, Falkirk Council
07803 898008
 

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