A University of Nottingham-led project will bring 3D design and printing into hospital education in England after securing funding from the Royal Society Science Community Grant and the Julia Rausing Trust. The three-year initiative is intended to widen access to STEM learning for children and young people who attend specialist schools because of complex health needs or long hospital stays.
The project is being carried out with the National Association for Hospital Education (NAHE). Engineers and scientists from universities across the country are supporting the work, which will train hospital education staff to use 3D design and printing in hands-on projects.
Initial rollout and training
Twenty-five schools will initially receive a 3D printer and take part in a national training programme led by Nottingham with support from local partner universities. The programme will run across a term through coordinated sessions built around user-centred design, ending in a showcase event. Students will be invited to draw inspiration from their surroundings and identify product designs that could work better for them.
Rehabilitation exploration
The NIHR HealthTech Research Centre for Rehabilitation, led by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, is partnering with the project to explore how 3D printing technologies could contribute to children's rehabilitation and recovery after serious illness or injury.
Why the project is needed
Professor Ruth Goodridge from the University of Nottingham, who is leading the project, said children and young people who spend extended periods in hospital or attend specialist schools often miss out on hands-on STEM experiences that their peers take for granted. She said the project aims to address that gap by giving them access to 3D design and printing activities intended to broaden horizons, build confidence and develop skills. Hospital school staff report that illness can make a child's world feel small, with disrupted education, anxiety and low confidence affecting engagement with learning, she added.
Goodridge said 3D printing offers an accessible and rewarding way for students to develop new skills, solve problems and create something tangible, providing a sense of achievement when many aspects of their lives may feel beyond their control. For many young people, she said, it is a chance not only to learn new skills but also to see new possibilities for their future.
Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, said schools are where most people first encounter science. Practical science helps students experience the scientific process, evaluate evidence, understand uncertainty and appreciate how science helps people understand and improve the world, he said. He added that all students should experience and be inspired by science, and that embedding more practical science in schools is an important step in building future scientists and innovators and equipping people with scientific literacy.
Stephen Deadman from NAHE said the project will provide vital skills for children unable to access traditional school, giving them invaluable hands-on experience with specialist equipment. Beyond the individual skills they will build, he said, working together within and between schools will provide additional benefits, bringing a sense of community and shared achievement.