Engineering Programme
Our Engineering Programme provides a hands-on engineering experience designed for students aged 13–17 (years 9 – 13) who want to explore how engineers solve real-world challenges across mechanical, electrical, civil, biomedical and materials engineering.
Throughout the programme, students will create and calibrate working devices, collect and analyse data, and learn apply everyday engineering principles used by professionals and researchers.
Experience five engineering disciplines
Through the programme, Abbey College Cambridge students will gain exposure to five distinct engineering disciplines before choosing their area of specialisation:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical & Electronic Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Engineering & Nanotechnology
How is the Engineering Programme Taught?
The Engineering programme will consist of timetabled sessions that sit alongside each student’s academic studies. All students will gain super curricular knowledge through weekly Engineering Enrichment sessions focusing on the five engineering disciplines and which culminate in a substantial, practical engineering project in each discipline each half-term.
Students will participate in an engineering student-led conference in the Autumn term. The conference will bring Abbey Cambridge students together with students from other schools to experience engineering through guest speakers and project work. Students will gain experience of both attending and then organising the conference as they progress through the programme.
Students will attend regular engineering-focused guest talks, visiting selected University of Cambridge lectures and hearing from visiting engineers and academics in the school.
Students will complete a substantial, independent engineering project which will be assessed against a specific brief. The project is designed to enable students to evidence wider engineering knowledge, study skills and practical experience to the most competitive universities.
Students will attend regular Engineering Experience Days with our partner Arash Motors. Engineering experience days give students authentic exposure to professional engineering practice.
Students in the Sixth Form will also attend weekly Engineering Pre-Degree Diploma sessions. These taught sessions are designed to deepen knowledge and channel a students passion for engineering into a competitive, compelling personal statement.
Working with our engineering admissions team, students will receive targeted preparation for the Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) and where required we will prepare students for university interviews through a series of mock interviews alongside subject-thinking practice and feedback.
Engineering University Destinations
Abbey College Cambridge has a proud record of preparing students to study a wide range of engineering discipline at many of the UK and the world’s most prestigious universities. Recent Engineering destinations for Abbey College Cambridge students have included:
Why study on the Engineering Programme?
Learn through building real technology
Every module of the engineering programme culminates in a substantial engineering project.
Students will:
- Build and calibrate a torque meter
- Create an environmental monitoring system
- Design structural monitoring sensors
- Construct a pulse oximeter
- Build a functioning spectrometer
Rather than following simple demonstrations, students create instruments used to investigate real engineering questions.
Undergraduate-level concepts made accessible
Students encounter advanced topics usually introduced much later in education, such as:
- Power transmission and drivetrain design
- Sensors and control systems
- Structural health monitoring
- Medical technologies and biosensors
- Spectroscopy and nanotechnology
- Quantum science applications
Develop the skills that universities value
The programme develops transferable skills sought by top universities and employers:
- Problem solving
- Experimental design
- Data analysis
- Critical thinking
- Technical communication
- Teamwork and collaboration
Connect your learning to industry
Our Engineering Programme is linked to the Arash Motor partnership, helping students understand how engineering principles are applied in high-performance automotive design.
Create a portfolio of engineering projects
Our students leave with evidence of their practical achievements and engineering investigations, ideal for:
- Personal Statement
- University applications
- University interviews
- Engineering competitions
- Future employment
