Primary students had the chance to explore exciting space concepts in a special half day organised by our science department. The Year 5 students, from three local schools, were looking at the possible destruction that would be caused by a massive meteor strike and they had to calculate how big it would have to be to destroy the earth completely!

The 24 students, from Peckover Primary, Orchards Cof E Primary and Kinderley Primary Schools had great fun with their experiments. One involved dropping the same size meteor from different heights and another experiment gathered the data from dropping different sized meteors from the same height.

The visit was one of a series of transition programme days that our academy runs in order to give Year 5 students experience of a secondary school. The days are aimed at calming any worries or concerns students may have about leaving primary school and, as well as science, we also run them in maths, English, MFL and sports.

The investigation was led by teacher Martine Bye-Duke, who said: ‘This topic nurtures students’ natural curiosity about space. Armageddon was achieved by several groups with the impact into their samples of Earth (trays filled with damp sand) not only creating craters but throwing sand debris onto the surrounding floor. The students realised that this could possibly imitate a real meteor strike. All the students had an enthusiasm that demonstrated their awe and wonder of this intergalactic topic and they will continue investigations into the solar system back at their schools as part of their national curriculum coursework.’