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Teamwork and community spirit truly are our backbone, with both Highgate and LAET staff joining forces to make around 1,000 NHS compliant face shields per week.

State-of-the-art Design, Technology and Engineering equipment at LAET and Highgate School is being put to good use as part of the fight against COVID-19.

The laser cutters and 3D printers, usually used to help pupils prepare DTE work, are being used to produce protective face shields for NHS staff on the front-line of the pandemic at our local North Middlesex University Hospital in Edmonton and for other hospitals and GP surgeries in the London area.

Head Adam Pettitt said “I’m delighted that the ingenuity of teachers and support staff at Highgate and LAET is contributing to the national effort to combat the pandemic and hope that, in this and other ways, our schools can continue to support the brilliant work of the NHS to look after the ill and vulnerable while also protecting the health of our vital NHS staff.

Around 1,000 face shields are being produced each week by the two Schools’ DTE experts, teachers and support staff.

Jan Balon, Headteacher, LAET, said: “The school is proud to be offering what it can to help those on the front-line saving lives on a daily basis.  We are extremely grateful to Tottenham Hotspur and Highgate for providing our students with the incredible facilities we have. We are pleased to know that, even without our students here currently, the equipment is being put to good use for such an important cause.”

Daniel Levy, Chairman, Tottenham Hotspur, said: “This is a fantastic example of a community working together to fight this pandemic and support our wonderful NHS.When we first opened the school, we invested in this equipment with the aim of this being the best educational offer in Tottenham.We’ve all seen on the news how vital protective equipment is on the front-line in our hospitals, so what better way to put the school’s facilities to good use when the students are unable to benefit themselves.

Safety first, and another project in the wings

Andy Thomson, Highgate’s Director of Design, Technology and Engineering helped ensure that all those involved in making the face shields were wearing gloves and visors, and staying safely separated two metres apart. He went on to describe how DTE are contributing:  “I have also been tasked to make Venturi valves and convert scuba masks into oxygen masks, all using computer aided design and 3D printing technology. All teams involved, along with myself are just so pleased we can help. Hopefully when the world is back to ‘normal’, this will be a good case study for our students.”