Super Science Week held at Wellesley Haddon Dene school

Science Week speaker at Wellesley Haddon Dene Photo Hayley Wallace

By James Bonthron

Wellesley Haddon Dene school hosted activities for Science Week last week.

On Monday youngsters in year 5 and 6 group were treated to a talk by a student from the University of Kent on biodiversity and conservation. The talk covered issues in conservation and went through some of the biodiversity found on Earth.

A talk was also given to year 7 and 8 pupils, this time focusing on sustainable development and the importance of sharing resources and the planet with other species.

Photo Hayley Wallace

On Tuesday children in year 5 took part in a Thanet science and engineering challenge. All pupils then took part in competitions on Wednesday, which were either quiz or poster based. The year 4 group was whisked away on Thursday to Discovery Planet in Ramsgate for an “Earth Matters” workshop with the focus on plastic pollution and how it can be tackled.

The research used in this workshop also comes from the University of Kent, specifically the natural sciences department.

On Friday there was an activity-packed Science Fair held in the old hall where pupils had a chance to show off their scientific knowledge.  The projects included a seismometer,  one concerning chromatography and a myriad of classic volcano experiments.

The activities were rounded off with an awards ceremony to celebrate the students’ work during the week.

Several teachers were involved in running Science Week with head of science Hayley Wallace as the main driving force

Miss Wallace has been running the Science Week since she started working at the school. The event is designed to work in conjunction with British Science Week and is designed to engage pupils in the topic as well as helping to identify potential academic scholars through the competitions held throughout the week.

She said: “I enjoy the challenge of coming up with new ideas and events to inspire the children. Each year, I try to choose something that pushes me slightly out of my comfort zone. It is also a great opportunity for me to work collaboratively with colleagues and develop my connections with local scientific  and educational institutions.”

She hopes the week will inspire pupils to take more of an interest in science and learn about a wide range of lesser-known scientists as well as giving the school a chance to demonstrate the excellence of its science facilities.

Photos Hayley Wallace

The Science Fair in the Old Hall hosted 20 student projects, created by a total of 31 children. Miss Wallace said: “Such fun was had by all of the entrants and visitors that I hope next year, we will see even more entrants who were inspired by the fantastic projects created by their peers. We might need a bigger hall!”

Headteacher Joanne Parpworth, said: “Science holds the key to saving our planet. We want to empower our children to use science for the betterment of our community and beyond. Science Week is an integral part of our curriculum in that it develops a natural curiosity for learning, and it builds resilience through trial and error. It is excellent preparation for the next phase of education and indeed later life.”

Three winners of the Science Fair were given Amazon vouchers.