IT was a chance for students to showcase their creative engineering talents.

Peter Symonds students brought their Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) masterpieces into the college to show their sponsors, The Symondians’ Association, what their grant had helped them create.

The Extended Project is an additional qualification equivalent to half an A level.

It is a flexible award allowing students to work to their strengths, by giving them the opportunity to choose to either produce a dissertation, an investigation report, a performance, an event, a design, or an object.

Last year The Symondians’ Association awarded the EPQ department £500 to help the students embarking on costly projects.

This year they have pledged to double that, donating the department £1,000 towards the costs of projects undertaken by the 2018-19 cohort of students.

Among the projects were high tech gadgets such as a 3D printer, created by Ewan White, allowing him to print vases, animals and a BB-8 droid, and a 6-Axis robotic arm, built by Angus French.

George Everdell built a road bike and Honor Clinton learnt about mechanical engineering techniques so that she could build a drive-train to fit a longboard.

Ewan, who plans to study electrical engineering at Southampton University in September, said: “Doing an Artefact EPQ was great as it shows to universities that I have applied the theory I’ve learnt in lessons.

“The Symondians’ donation allowed me to take the project much further than initially planned, resulting in very successful final piece.”

Sabina Lowe, head of EPQ, said: “The Extended Project Qualification gives our students the opportunity to develop skills that prepare them for university and for employment. Students planning design or engineering careers often undertake a practical project but these can be expensive.”