Chickens, potatoes and crystals all came under the microscope at Kingsbury Green Academy as students celebrated British Science Week.

Coordinated by the British Science Association and funded by Swindon-based UK Research and Innovation, the ten-day programme celebrates science, engineering, technology and maths.

Kingsbury Green Academy in Calne, part of the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Trust, challenged its students to explore different aspects of science and technology, and design their own experiments to discover more about chemistry, biology and physics.

Among the experiments, the budding young scientists in Year 7 undertook investigations into which types of potato can conduct the most electricity, whether the amount of salt or sugar in a solution can affect the size of crystals produced, and looking at the growth of different species of chicken and examining characteristics such as size, egg size and length of comb.

Year 7 students weren’t the only cohort involved. Year 8 pupils researched, designed and then raced self-propelled cars, while Year 9 designed and launched bottle rockets. In Year 10 they made and tested calorimeters, and students in Year 13 presented research projects to a Year 11 audience.

Teaching and learning coordinator for KS3 Science Dr Natalie Skinner, said the key to success was ensuring students were engaged in the subject.

“We want to engage students in science both in usual lessons and outside of the curriculum, so to give Year 7 students the opportunity to investigate an area of science that interests them and develop their investigation and practical skills, we have introduced a British Science Week project."

“Students chose to research and carry out experiments linked to the theme of growth, and then produce a display for our own KGA Science Fair.

She explained: “As well as equipping students with the relevant education and knowledge, science also encourages students to develop transferable skills such as maths, literacy, critical thinking, organisation, teamwork and problem solving.

“It has always been a key subject, as global issues such as climate change, biodiversity, and pandemics have made abundantly clear. By educating students on issues that can impact on their day-to-day life, such as how vaccines work or properly understanding health issues, we enable them to make informed decisions that may affect their own lives, those of people around them and their surroundings.”