BUILDING BLOCKS Insights: Newcastle Helix two-day event inspires the next generation of STEM talent

A groundbreaking event, returning for its biggest year ever, saw hundreds of North East primary school children take a special trip to the region’s only innovation district for two whole days of learning, play and inspiration.

On 21st and 22nd May 2025, BUILDING BLOCKS Insights welcomed 240 Year 5 students from schools local to Newcastle Helix, for a series of interactive sessions with a range of experts across tech, AI and science.

Hosted by Newcastle Helix Community Engagement Manager Charlie Charlton, the event enabled the children to have fun with STEM outside of the classroom, as well as see first-hand what it is like to spend time in a hub of innovation and industry on a regular working day.

"BUILDING BLOCKS is a chance for education and industry to come together and inspire each other. After all, these children could be the future workforce of businesses at Helix. Now that’s exciting!" - Charlie Charlton, Newcastle Helix

Charlie, whose infectious energy was matched by the buzzing excitement of the children, welcomed pupils from Canning Street Primary School, Moorside Primary School, St John’s Primary School, St. Paul’s C of E Primary School, Walkergate Community School and Wingrove Primary School over the two-day initiative.

As each class walked into The Catalyst, the building was filled with the incredible energy brought by such a large, diverse group. Despite occupiers commenting on how polite and well-behaved the children were, there's little that can dampen the clamour of excitement they felt from being at Helix.

Before embarking on their day of STEM fun, the children were introduced to the building and teams supporting the event, giving them a special inside glimpse of a working innovation hub, as well as watching a special highlights video from the previous year’s BUILDING BLOCKS programme in the Catalyst lobby.

"My big sister was on that giant telly! She was here!" - a 10 year old participant

 Mi-box Live: A winning formula of maths and sport

Led by founder Chris Withers, Mi-box Live’s workshop saw the children flex their maths skills and compete using Mi-box’s combined board game and iPad app format - an innovation which had been further developed alongside the National Innovation Centre for Ageing at Newcastle Helix.

Moving sports-themed pieces around bright orange track boards, the students raced to answer the maths questions as they flashed up on screen, competing with each other to get to the finish line.

“We should have this in school!” - 9 year old participant

The children were so excited to learn. Standing up out of their seats, furiously writing down answers on their whiteboards, triumphantly moving pieces further around the board.

The session wrapped up with Chris leading a final competition, where children worked in teams to answer increasingly complex maths questions. The shrieks of success could be heard throughout the foyer as classmates cheered.

CGI: Building worlds and saving galaxies through AI

In The Catalyst’s impressive theatre, children were welcomed into a world of building and artificial intelligence (AI) in a session with IT and business consulting firm CGI.

Led by CGI Director Consulting Expert Pascal Coulon, the workshop began with an exploration of maps and a dive into the history of how maps can transform our understanding of our world. Then, children were split into two groups for a duo of interactive activities. 

One activity invited the children to use Minecraft to create a building within a virtual ‘Newcastle’. The groups shrieked with delight as they built skyscrapers and pyramids, and saw first-hand how technology can replicate and interact with a real environment.

“Do you know Technoblade in Minecraft? The pig with the crown? We MADE one on screen today!” - 10 year old participant

The other activity saw children create a technical blueprint of a space rover, using ChatGPT to decide how it would look and move.

Robots were brought to life in the room before any prompts were even created. Their imaginations were running wild with ideas for 20-eyed machines with laser beams for arms. The children’s creations were then displayed to them on the big screen, showing them what is possible through effective AI prompts.

RTC North: Realising ambitions and dreams with LEGO

From a business now based at Newcastle Helix, RTC North's Education Relationships Manager Josh Minto led a session on serious play using everyone’s favourite modular toy, LEGO.

Children were each given their own individual pack of LEGO pieces, and asked to create a series of objects - from building towers and depicting their ideal (and not-so-ideal!) Wednesday afternoon, to bringing their superpower to life through the blocks.

“I love doing all these activities and not in the classroom.” - 9 year old participant

A crucial part of the session was where Josh revealed that even though the children had been given identical packs of LEGO, all of their creations were different - reflecting their unique personalities and creativity.

Altitude Foundation: Lighting up the world through coding

Facilitator Kyle Anderson and outreach officer Glen Maddison led the session from Altitude Foundation, teaching the children to light up LED light strips using coding. This type of activity is central to the work of this charitable organisation, which is based at Newcastle Helix.

Following a set of instructions, each child input code to make their own individual LED light strip glow and change colours.

“I loved doing the LED lights - it was my favourite bit.” - 10 year old participant

The room was aglow with not only the lights from the strips, but the unbridled enthusiasm of the children, who worked hard to make their LEDs flash a rainbow of different colours.

National Innovation Centre for Data: How data is used in the real world

NICD is based in The Catalyst and the team invited the students into a room they use to discuss projects with their clients (the Team Decision Theatre). 

Outreach Manager Angela Craggs kicked off the session by introducing the children to data science, AI and machine learning - while showing them how data can be used in the working world.

Children were first asked to gather certain information from their classmates, such as their favourite colour, favourite food and how they travel to school. Then, children were encouraged to spot any patterns in the data they had collected.

By uncovering facts like the children's favourite ice cream (bubblegum!), the team at NICD then showed them how this information could be used by businesses, such as an ice cream factory choosing new flavours based on target customer preferences.

“I could imagine working here in the future, because I really enjoy STEM.” - 9 year old participant

Through this, the children were able to understand how tech, engineering and data jobs exist on their doorstep. 

Newcastle United Foundation: Harnessing VR to play ball

Facilitators Steph and Kyle worked their magic leading one of the loudest sessions of BUILDING BLOCKS Insights, where the students experienced the immersive fun of virtual reality (VR) through dodgeball.

In the session, a giant set was used to play HADO, a techno sport based on dodgeball using VR headsets and armband sensors to create flying balls and shields.

“This has been my favourite day ever at school.” - 9 year old participant

Teams of children competed in their virtual arena to score the most points, against a backdrop of their classmates cheering deafeningly back in the ‘real world’.

Building Blocks impact: leaving a lasting impression

At the end of both days, the children gathered in the foyer once again. Full of excitement from the sessions, each class was awarded a special bamboo trophy to mark their attendance and participation in Building Blocks Insights.

Children waved and said hello to everyone working in the building as they passed, the curiosity in their eyes lighting up their faces - and even rubbing off on other occupiers and visitors.

“It's really weird how we're here having fun - and maybe they're also having a fun day because we're here.” - a 10 year old participant

Building Blocks Insights gave the children an opportunity to interact with technology in a new way, as well as spark their creativity and an interest in future STEM careers - and give them a real-life look at a dynamic innovation district in action.

For the teachers of the participating schools, the event showed them how pupils could be inspired and invigorated by off-site learning in a real working environment.

“The benefit [of Building Blocks] is the children being in a working environment and having all the experts with all the expert equipment around them, so they can really have a hands-on experience.” - Emma Hay, Year 5 teacher from Wingrove Primary School

As well as supporting STEM learning, Building Blocks Insights played an important role in sparking career curiosity among children way ahead of career conversations.

The event also gave children the opportunity to truly experience the site in an open and inclusive way, as many of them would not usually have had the chance to experience a professional environment like Newcastle Helix.

“Building Blocks really benefits our children, because we have such a diverse range of children in our school who don't always get the opportunities to experience anything like we have today.” Anna Watling, Year 5 teacher from Wingrove Primary School

By blending technology, engineering and science with fun activities, this event can be the spark from which deeper aspirations grow among the next generation of North East talent.