Budding scientists at St Gregory’s Catholic Primary in Margate have been inspired by a series of workshops and hands-on experiments.
Biomedical scientist Hannah Scholes captivated a group of 85 pupils from Year 3 and 4 when she visited the school.
She began by introducing herself, the path to her career as a biomedical scientist and what her role entails.
Next she introduced the key focus of testing patients’ “urine” to identify its pH and contents using litmus paper and urinalysis sticks. The children got to work testing patient A, B and C and used their results to diagnose each patient.
After discussing their findings, their guest enjoyed lunch with children across the whole school, answering questions and enjoying their company, allowing the children to see how relatable life is to a scientist.
The visit made a big impact on pupils. Leah in Year 4 said: “I loved being able to chat with a real scientist and hear about what they do every day.”
Ciaran, also from Year 4, agreed. He said: “I enjoyed getting to use the litmus paper and seeing it change colour after we dipped it into the urine,” while Nitha from Year 3 added: “I liked being a scientist for a day, I felt important.”
Leah Campbell, who is Year 3 and 4 class teacher and science lead at St Gregory’s, organised the special event.
She explained the importance of the visit: “We held this event to make our children aware of the opportunities available for those who are interested in a career in science. This also enabled us to extend our community links.
“It was a great way to continue support and drive for science in the school – it showed our pupils the endless possibilities of a career in science, which is both rewarding and inspiring.
“They are very enthusiastic about science in their lessons and in our weekly after school STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) Club where they enjoy challenges such as making slime and programming robots.
“The club is heavily over-subscribed and we have many budding scientists at St Gregory’s.”