80 Year 5 pupils from local primary schools spent an exciting day at The Abbey doing stretching activities on the theme of Transformation or Change. The Abbey holds the NACE Challenge award in recognition of its provision for academically able children and the day allowed these boys and girls to have inspiring lessons from several of The Abbey’s specialist teachers.
Science sessions took place in some of the 12 laboratories and the children were amazed and stimulated by what they experienced. The Chemistry teachers had devised a wonderful hands-on session where the children squished strawberries and tested for acidity, made a sweet fizz in their mouth, observed a colourful, steaming chemical reaction and made slime. In Physics the children talked about transforming energy from one form to another and did many practical experiments with movement, sound and light.
In Drama the boys and girls were encouraged to use their imagination and turn themselves into many things including the Queen, aeroplanes and a car and pretended to see an elephant. In English after talking about fairytales, they composed a story about a lead character who underwent a dramatic change and the creative juices were really flowing.
The schools involved were Robert Piggott Junior, Earley St. Peter’s, Redlands, Radstock, George Palmer, Sonning Common and Emmer Green and the children left at the end of the day enthused about what they had learned.
Sixth Formers provided invaluable support all day and organised games for the children at lunchtime.