On Tuesday the 11th of February, a group of approximately fifty pupils from years 10 and 11 went to the Bowlplex at Broadway Plaza, as a reward for their excellent behaviour and progress since the start of the academic year. The pupils were accompanied by Mr Mohsin, Mr Bird, Mr Campbell and Mr Hawkins, who kindly gave up their free time to take us.

What was evident to all of us, both pupils and staff, was that the trip was a great success, it’s a wonder why we hadn’t done this before. We think we speak for all the year 10s and 11s when we say more of the same please.

Nathan Bell & Raphael Dobrashian-Yates
10 Nelson

On Thursday 6th February 2014, a group of year 8s were fortunate enough to attend a Chemistry at Work event arranged by the Royal Society of Chemistry at the Thinktank Science Museum. Pupils were selected across the five forms based on Science Teacher and Form Tutor recommendations and the aim of the day was to give pupils an insight into possible careers related to Chemistry.

Pupils were treated to a Chemistry Magic Show, which involved things such as frying an egg using liquid nitrogen as well as the combustion of ethanol fumes in a whoosh bottle. Pupils also had the opportunity to explore the different areas of the Science Museum itself completely free of charge.

Pupils then took part in 3 workshops all designed to give pupils an insight into different industries where chemistry is applicable. They attended workshops on the Chemistry of perfume making, the Chemistry of DNA in which they were able to take away their own DNA sample and the Chemistry involved in Material Sciences, which included the opportunity to win chocolate bars!

No visit to the Science Museum would be complete without the customary stop at the gift shop and this visit was no different.

It was a brief yet enjoyable insight into careers in Chemistry and the pupils went away reinvigorated about Chemistry as a subject and with ideas of how it can be used outside of the lab.

Mr M Mohsin