Science Week at St Benedict’s

Published on isbi School News dated Monday 18th of April 2016

Science Week at St Benedict’s School in Ealing was celebrated from Monday 14th to Friday 18th March by all age groups. The Junior School saw the welcome return of Mr Jeremy King from Engineering in Schools, who worked with the whole of Key Stage 2. Lower Prep designed and built wind-up K’nex vehicles and Upper Prep used rolled newspapers to make bespoke chairs. The next day, it was the turn of Forms 1 and 2 to become engineers and architects by designing and building their own shelters from rods made of used newspapers. Wednesday and Thursday saw the focus shift to Key Stage 1, where Pre-Prep 1 and 2 explored the worlds of materials and chemical reactions by making their very own bouncy balls and Pre-Prep 3 fought valiantly against the force of gravity when building model skyscrapers from art straws. On Friday, Science staff from the Senior School gave a spell-binding assembly on chemical reactions, involving pH rainbows, elephant toothpaste and burning ethanol. Friday also saw a trip to the Nursery, where the children made their own bubble solution from scratch and competed with the Form 2 Science Ambassadors to see who could blow the biggest bubbles! Mr Douglas, Head of Science in the Junior School, said: “The children certainly seemed to enjoy the week! My thanks to all those who made it such a success.” The Science classrooms in the Senior School were buzzing on Wednesday 16th March with the Third Form Science Fair. Parents and pupils from local primary schools, including St Benedict’s Form 1 children, visited the Fair, admired the exhibits and asked lots of questions. The winners were adjudged to be Milica Kostic, Catriona Edwards and Daisy Burns for their project on ‘Space and Gravity.’ The organiser, Mr Arratoon, said: “The Science Fair was the result of many hours’ work by our pupils in the Third Form. Their projects covered many different areas of science, mathematics and engineering. The pupils have thought of, researched and performed their own experiments in order to investigate their project question. Well done to all for their excellent work!”