Pupils put their investigative skills under the microscope
The Biology, Chemistry and Physics Departments played host to 36 Fourth Year pupils from nine local high schools, challenging them to put their scientific brains to the test with a ‘Whodunit’ style competition.
The young scientists competed in groups of four, with each team taking the name of a famous scientist renowned for their historical contributions to the fields of forensics, pathology, medicine and toxicology to complete hour-long tasks in each of the sciences.
The competition aimed to inspire and challenge pupils who have a passion for science with the opportunity to use advanced lab equipment and to engage in science beyond the curriculum.
Head of Physics Mrs Heather Fenton commented: “Like detectives, scientists learn from clues that we find through experiments, then figure out how the clues piece together. The more we learn, the more questions we find to ask!
“Science requires us to continually challenge the status quo, to hypothesise and then to back up these ideas with experimental evidence.
“The competitors displayed exemplary teamworking skills to carry out their experiments with accuracy. It was a pleasure to host such an enthusiastic and inquisitive group of scientists.
“A number of our Lower Sixth scientists were on hand in the sessions to assist with the use of equipment and it was nice to see the sharing of knowledge and interest.”
We thoroughly enjoyed having such engaged, knowledgeable pupils with us for the day.
