SCHOOLS in York are being urged to enter a nationwide science competition with £45,000 worth of prizes up for grabs.

Shell have called for schools across Yorkshire and Humber to enter The Bright Ideas Challenge, its national schools’ science competition, which isnow in its third year.

The competition challenges students aged 11-14 to use their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills and creativity to develop new ideas that could power cities in the future - with a top prize of £5,000 for the school's STEM teaching.

Last year, a team from The Read School in Selby was crowned winners in Yorkshire and Humber region. Their “bright idea” involved concave mirrors being used skyscraper farms to harvest sunlight, and that won them £1,500 for their school as well as individual prizes and a VIP trip to Make the Future Live, Shell’s four-day festival of ideas and innovation.

Read School teaching Liz Jackson said: “The experience of taking part in the competition was brilliant for us.

"Students really thrived when they were asked to solve some of the big challenges we're facing as a society. They put their STEM skills to work and the videos and materials helped us to hold creative brainstorming sessions and learn about future cities.

"The prize money has been a real boost to the school, we have purchased smart microscopes so students are able to connect with the microscopic world in a new way.”

The Bright Ideas Challenge is open for entries until 5pm on Friday, April 27, 2018, and entries received before January 19 will be entered into an ‘early bird’ prize draw.

Information and free resources are available at at www.shell.co.uk/brightideaschallenge