Science Week 9th-16th March 2026

This week, children across the school enjoyed a series of inspiring visits from parents and grandparents who shared their careers in science, technology and medicine. These sessions gave pupils a fascinating insight into how what they learn in the classroom connects to real world jobs and future possibilities.

One visitor, a parent working as a GP, spoke to the children about the journey to becoming a doctor and how long the training takes. Pupils explored the human body by identifying different body parts and organs and learning about the digestive system and how it helps our bodies process food. They also had the exciting opportunity to use real medical equipment, including stethoscopes to listen to their own heartbeats and pulse oximeters to measure each other’s oxygen levels.

The children also welcomed a parent who works as a dentist. They learned about the training required to become a dentist, how to brush their teeth properly and why brushing regularly is so important. The session also explored how understanding the body through science helps dentists care for patients and why maintaining a healthy, nutritious diet is essential for strong teeth and overall wellbeing.

Another session was led by a parent who works as a psychotherapist, who guided the children through thoughtful mindfulness activities linked to human science. Using their senses, the children explored how emotions can change depending on what we notice around us. They described their surroundings using adjectives and discovered how small changes in what we perceive through our senses can affect our emotions, focus and even body temperature. The session also showed them how their senses can be used as a practical tool to bring calmness into everyday life and to help manage feelings such as fear or anxiety. Inspired by the theme of exploring our senses, Year 1 pupils were also challenged to try a new food at lunchtime and reflect on how the experience made them feel.

The school also welcomed a grandparent who is a physicist and space engineer at Airbus. The children were fascinated by a replica model of the Mars Rover and learned about the challenges of sending astronauts to Mars, including what humans would need to survive there. Pupils were delighted to take home a souvenir from Airbus, a small 3D-printed astronaut.

A particularly exciting session for Year 6 focused on software engineering and artificial intelligence. A parent working in AI development helped pupils understand how AI systems work and guided them through a fun activity where they built their own simple model of a large language model (LLM). The class then discussed the pros and cons of AI, a highly topical subject and explored both the opportunities and challenges the technology presents. The session sparked huge interest, with many pupils expressing curiosity about pursuing careers in technology and AI in the future.

Overall, the week provided a wonderful opportunity for children across the school to learn from experts, ask thoughtful questions and see how careers in healthcare, psychology, space engineering and artificial intelligence can help shape the world around us.

Thank you to all of our volunteers!