PENKETH High School has become the first state school in the country to build a dedicated ‘makerspace’ to help the promotion of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and maths) subjects.

The new innovation hub will be incorporated into the curriculum to encourage a more practical approach to lessons.

Principal John Carlin said: “I believe that our pupils are extremely capable and we need to make sure our standards are in line with those capabilities.

“We are determined to be a community school and this space allows us to do this in a completely different way.

“If we think collaboratively we can work together with the community to deliver a world class education.”

The school will invite primary schools and community centres to use the space, in a bid to develop hands-on STEAM learning in the area.

Pete Lomas is the co-creator of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charity which promotes the study of basic computer science in schools.

Speaking at the launch event, he said: “In this space we have the equipment to support and encourage the creative spark to be ignited within the students.”

Dr Mark Feltham, from Liverpool John Moores, said: “Students do not get the opportunity to fail and try again. With the makerspace, this allows them to keep building things until they can get it right.

“The way Penketh has taken the idea of the innovation hub and built it into the curriculum, almost for free, is a fantastic model for other schools across the country.

“Science is about problem solving, children need to try things out.”

As part of their curriculum, pupils will have the opportunity to build drones and use a 3D printer to create models from drawings.

Suzanne Curryer, director of learning for science at Penketh High, said: “It is an opportunity to try something new. They are not just learning about science, there is so much freedom in what the students can do in this space.”

The school hopes the space will encourage students’ passion for science and technology.

Year nine pupils beat 11 other schools in Warrington to win the Sellafield STEM competition.

The team was challenged to build a free-standing crane and the school was presented with a £250 cheque after their creation won the lifting challenge and came in £18,000 under budget.