14th October 2011

CHARD: Schools open doors to young students

By Marion Draper

HOLYROOD Academy was buzzing with young people and their families for their open evening on Thursday, October 6th, with activities and demonstrations taking place in classrooms throughout the school.

Under guided tours by the older students, youngsters from the satellite schools who will be heading for Holyrood next year were enjoying the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the top and bottom sites at the school and the many facilities on offer.

There were plenty of opportunities for the young visitors to get hands on, with taste testing in the food technology department - always a popular destination. The famous rapid cook biscuits were once more on offer together with freshly made fruit milkshakes and sherbet and liquorice dips.

The science lab was also chock-a-block with bunsen burners on the go for young students to perform a simple flame test experiment, seeing which elements caused a change in flame colour as they burned. Another popular experiment was to make a King Kong hand, a latex glove with bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, which made the glove self-inflate.

In the textiles department, enthusiastic student Alicia Capper from Year 9 was happy to show her short course GCSE project on making Indian style cloth bags, demonstrating on the sewing machine and showing the whole research and design studies in her project book. A full display of bags made by the year group were on display in the visual learning centre.

At the lower site Year 12 were performing a version of “Frankenstein” and holding their concentration well despite people coming and going. There were also drama workshops to join in.

PICTURE 1: PLAYING FOR VISITORS - Holyrood musicians entertained

PICTURE 2: FRUITY TREATS - Opening evening guides Lara Blakemore and Chloe Bryan with fresh strawberry milkshakes made by Alana Moore (left)