New award made by Exeter School pupils - St John’s Hospital Educational Foundation ‘Blue Boy Award’
Exeter School pupils studying Design Technology have enjoyed investigating the possibilities of 3D printing to make cast statuettes for a new Exeter School prize.
Year 9 pupils have cast silicon moulds from 3D printed masters to cast the statuettes in the form of the ‘Blue Boy’.
One of the original ‘Blue Boy’ statues is situated at the spot in Princesshay on which the mediaeval St John's Hospital was located and from which Exeter School can trace its origins in 1633. There are also statues sited at Exeter School and The Maynard.
Staff in the University of Exeter’s Digital Humanities Lab scanned the statue using 3D scanning technology to create a file. From the scan, Exeter School 3D printed the models which pupils then moulded in silicon designed to resist temperatures of up to 300 degrees Centigrade. The statuettes were then cast in pewter and finished with walnut bases.
Exeter School has collaborated with the Centre for Intermedia at the University of Exeter since 2014 on creating historic digital resources for educational purposes.
Professor in Performance and New Media, and Director of the Centre for Intermedia, Gabriella Giannachi, said: “It’s been a real privilege to be able to use new technologies to revisit and, in this case, literally reshape Exeter School’s history with younger generations of pupils.”
The St John’s Hospital Educational Foundation ‘Blue Boy Award’ will be awarded annually to an Exeter School pupil on Speech Day in September, by the Chairman of Trustees of the St John’s Hospital Educational Foundation. The Foundation funds three of Exeter School’s eight free places, awarded to three new 11+ and five new 16+ pupils every year.
The St John’s Hospital Educational Foundation provides funds for both Exeter School, The Maynard and Church of England schools in Exeter.
Head of Design Technology at Exeter School Martin Rose thanked the staff of Exeter University’s Digital Humanities Lab for their assistance.
“We are grateful to the many people involved in the production of this unique statuette which reflects both the history and future of Exeter School.”
Exeter School is holding a Summer Open Evening on Tuesday 11 July, 6 – 9pm: all are welcome to attend.
To find out more about Exeter School and its bursaries, please visit the website: www.exeterschool.org.uk
