--- title: "Year 3 - STEM Challenge" url: "https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2026-03-17-year-3-stem-challenge" school: "Darwen St James’ C of E Primary Academy" --- # Year 3 - STEM Challenge ![](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/news/135f13b9-acb2-4145-88c2-177a328a6aea.jpg) 17 March 2026 ![](https://darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy.schudio.com/images/news/135f13b9-acb2-4145-88c2-177a328a6aea.jpg) ## Taking Flight in Year 3! Our Year 3 engineers reached new heights this week during an action-packed **STEM Challenge**! ???? The mission was simple but the science was complex: design and build paper aeroplanes and helicopters, then refine them to see which could travel the **furthest distance**. ### The Engineering Process: - **Initial Prototypes:** Students experimented with different wing shapes and body lengths. - **Testing & Measuring:** We took to the "runway" to record our flight distances. - **The "Tweak" Phase:** This was where the real magic happened! Children adjusted their designs—adding paperclips for weight, changing fold angles, or shortening blades—to improve stability and lift. [Year 3](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/tag/year-3) [Science](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/tag/science) [![](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/imagecache/100x100c/news/164dc4e7-91f5-4c33-b317-bcff01923d6f.jpg)](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2026-03-16-nursery-pre-school-r-e-kind-hands-and-caring-hearts) Previous ### [Nursery/Pre-School - R.E - Kind Hands And Caring Hearts](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2026-03-16-nursery-pre-school-r-e-kind-hands-and-caring-hearts) [![](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/imagecache/100x100c/news/1a66605d-072f-4519-ab92-b093cc5adfa0.jpg)](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2026-03-18-year-5-english-science-fiction-independent-write) Next ### [Year 5 English - Science Fiction Independent Write](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2026-03-18-year-5-english-science-fiction-independent-write) ### Academy Life - [News](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news) - [Events](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/events) - [Clubs](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/academy-life/basc) - [School Council](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/academy-life/school-council) - [Attendance](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/academy-life/attendance) - [Charities and Fundrasing](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/academy-life/charities-and-fundraising) - ![School Games Gold](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/partners/Gold_Logo_25-26(1).png) - ![Healthy school](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/partners/healthy_school.png) - ![Picture News](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/partners/6_Years_of_Picture_News.png) - ![AP smilestar](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/partners/Screenshot_2026-07-27_10.26.27.png) ##### Location St James Crescent Darwen Lancashire BB3 0EY ##### Contact Us 01254 703260 ##### Stay Connected - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Darwenstjames) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/darwenstjames/) © Copyright 2021–2026 Darwen St James’ C of E Primary Academy School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)