EACH week, the Gazette will be visiting a different school to take a look at some of the ways pupils are being encouraged to learn. This week, we paid a visit to Christ the King Catholic Primary School in Thornbury.

Teachers were all suspects of crime at Christ the King Catholic Primary School this week during a forensic investigation by pupils.


The task – to solve the mystery of a stolen trophy in the school – was part of the school’s Science and Engineering Week.


The staff and pupils, at Easton Hill Road, focussed entirely on Science and Engineering during the week, which started with a team of engineers and designers from Rolls-Royce leading the Bloodhound challenge to create their own land speed cars in pairs.


The task saw each class have their own engineer guide them through the designing and making process and the school hall was turned into a race track so the budding engineers could test out and race their vehicles.


Pupils also learnt about E-bugs in sessions led by Public Health England, finding out about germs and the importance of keeping their hands clean.


Headteacher Mary Mainwaring said: “The school has been buzzing with excitement each day as our learners experience new activities and learn about aspects of science and engineering.


“Lots of children have been telling us they would like to be scientists or engineers when they grow up.
“We have had a computer control workshop using Lego, and also classes creating huge bubbles during a workshop with the biggest bubble 62cm in diameter, which was amazing.


“We have also had pupils go into space in an explorer dome, where the children crawled through a tunnel into a planetarium.”


A ‘Who done It?’ day saw one of the school trophies go missing with a number of staff as suspects, all under investigation by pupil forensic scientists. Children used a forensic laboratory to examine DNA, hand-writing, hair samples, footprints and lipstick to piece all the parts together to find the culprit.”


Grace Hutchinson, 11, said: “My favourite part of the week was the crime scene day because we were scientists, it was really fun and interesting.”


Six-year-old Ben Anthony said: “I liked the science experiments like doing the balloon cars, some went really far.”


A pupil’s dad and construction project manager also visited the school during the week to give the children the opportunity to examine plans, wear special clothing and learn about how a building is created from planning to construction.


Mrs Mainwaring added: “Thank you to Dr Kelly Thornton who led the ‘Who done it?’ day with a team of parents.


“It has been a really exciting week, raising awareness of science and engineering and making the learning fun.


“A big thank you to everyone who has contributed to our fantastic week.”