To celebrate British Science Week, the Science Department have organised for students to take part in a range of exciting activities. Below you can read more about some of the workshops and activities students have been taking part in this week:
Masterclass On Geophysics
On Tuesday, 12th of March, Professor Neuberg, leading lecturer at the University of Leeds, visited our school and delivered a very engaging and inspirational talk on geophysics to a well-attended audience of Year 10 to Year 13 students, as well as members of staff.
Professor Neuberg talked about what geophysics is and its different fields, what a geophysics degree entails, and how geophysics can be used to help us prepare for natural disasters, specifically earthquakes and volcanoes. The talk also included the modelling used to gather data in Professor Neuberg’s research and we had the chance to see the models and also to hear the sound of earth seismic activity.
At the end of the talk, Professor Neuberg highlighted that geophysicists are in high demand and that their graduates find employment immediately after graduating. They also have great contacts with employers of geophysics.
In spite of the train cancellations and delays he was faced with on his journey from Leeds, Professor Neuberg was very glad he was able to attend the talk and he would be happy to visit ACS again next time he is in London to deliver similar masterclasses.
“I’m really glad to have been able to make it as everyone in attendance was engaged, asked questions and were interested in geophysics, especially that it was after school and there was no requirement for anyone to stay.”
Pupil feedback was overwhelmingly positive with some are now considering a degree and a career in geophysics.
Yr11 Physics Competition at St Helens Independent School
On Friday 8th of March, four of our Year 11 students took part in the Y11 Physics Competition at St Helens Independent School, alongside students from 22 other schools across the country.
The day consisted of an escape room challenge, which they completed in 11:39 minute, an experimental challenge, where our students scored 12 points, and a calculation relay, which they completed in 19 minutes. Overall, our school came 2nd in the competition, which shows how great our school, our students and our science department are.
The day also included career talks by leading female physicists to encourage students to take the subject post-16, and we are glad that three of the students who took part in the competition are now considering taking the subject at A level. We are also very glad that our school has been invited to attend the competition next year.
Student feedback:
The competition was amazing and I wish to thank the school for giving us the opportunity to take part in it. The experiment challenge wasn’t too difficult, but it was challenging and required problem solving skills in maths, which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the escape room activity which was very interactive and not too difficult either. The calculation race was very tense and I was excited to hear that we had finished first in our room. The career talk provided a lot of insights into how physics can shape your academic journey and how it can be applied in many different areas, and it made me reconsider my A-Level options. I am really glad we won the second place and very grateful to have had the opportunity to represent the school in the competition. (Student, Year 11)
I found the experience very enjoyable and useful, giving us the chance to work as a team in order to complete various activities. It was a great learning experience and also an opportunity to connect with students from other schools. I thoroughly enjoyed the day full of various challenges, as well as the career talk. We worked as a team of four and we ended up coming second in the competition. For me, the best part of the day was definitely the calculations race and the escape room. I would highly recommend the challenge to other students as it is an amazing opportunity to learn and have fun while working as a team. (Student Year 11)
