27th September 2012

DORCHESTER: Kids enjoy a schools partnership family science day

More than 200 people, almost half of them children, came to Sunninghill Preparatory School in Dorchester to discover that science is fun.

The Dorset Area Schools Partnership Family Science Day saw people having a go at a variety of fun experiments, learning more about the science behind them.

Amongst the many activities, children made Tibetan bowls ‘sing’ with sound waves; blew giant bubbles; investigated mini beast zoos; created Aborigne-inspired journey sticks; researched pond organisms under the microscope and drove robotic toys around the school hall.

Sunninghill Prep School’s headteacher Andrew Roberts-Wray demonstrated the Renault Twixy futuristic electric car which charges up from any power point and can reach speeds of up to 50mph.

He said: “The whole afternoon was brilliant fun; you could see that everyone was getting a lot out of it.

“This is exactly what DASP aims to achieve and what it does best: sharing the knowledge and enthusiasm of its teachers, for the benefit of all children.”

Science teachers from several schools including Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester Middle School, St Osmund’s, St Mary’s Middle School and Sunninghill Prep School gave their time to plan and attend the free event.

Organiser Sue Brunt, head of science at Sunninghill Prep School said: “Children learn best when they’re having fun and I think the science day certainly achieved that!

“I hope we’ve fired up the children’s enthusiasm for science and helped them question the science behind how and why things work in everyday life.”

The next DASP Family Science Day is planned for mid January at Puddletown Middle School.