Curiosity, Creativity and Discovery
Science Week at Orchard House was a vibrant celebration of curiosity and discovery, with pupils across the school taking part in hands-on investigations, inspiring talks and exciting experiments. Rooted in our Learning Orchard curriculum, the week reflected our commitment to developing Powerful Knowledge, Holistic Learning, Leadership and World Readiness through practical, engaging experiences that encourage pupils to think deeply and ask questions about the world around them.
Reception: Discovering the World
Our youngest learners explored science through investigation and observation. Reception pupils tested magnetic forces, predicting which objects would be attracted to magnets before comparing their findings. They also observed daffodils placed in coloured water and continued their plant-growing experiments, exploring how factors such as water, soil and sunlight affect growth.
The children also learned about the lifecycle of a frog, discovering fascinating facts about how frogs absorb water through their skin. Thank you to Izzy in RF for bringing in frogspawn to support the children’s learning.
Science Week even extended into music, where pupils explored how a simple piece of paper could create a variety of sounds. By tapping, flicking and tearing paper, they worked together to recreate the sound of a storm while developing creativity and fine motor control.
A Spectacular Start
Science Week began with an exciting science assembly for our Key Stage 2 pupils from Mother Nature Science. Demonstrations included making a container “sing,” creating enormous bubbles and watching dramatic chemical reactions such as exploding custard powder and the famous “elephant toothpaste” experiment – an engaging way to bring scientific concepts to life!
Space Exploration
Form 1 launched Science Week with an inspiring talk from astronauts Nicolina Elrick and Sharon Hagle. The children asked thoughtful questions about life in space and were encouraged to dream big about the future of exploration.
Their learning continued with a STEM workshop where pupils built balloon rockets, tested parachutes and explored static electricity. In class, they also experimented with chromatography and designed simple gliders, combining creativity with early engineering thinking.
Young Engineers
Year 2 pupils embraced problem-solving and design through practical engineering challenges. They built bridges and tested their strength, created balloon rockets and designed parachutes to help their rockets land safely.
STEM in Action
Form 3 fully embraced the spirit of Science Week, exploring a variety of investigations including bird feeder design, mimicry in nature and fun experiments that encouraged them to apply their STEM skills in creative ways.
Science in the Real World
Form 4 enjoyed fascinating insights from visiting speakers. Electrical engineer Wayne Berry shared how robots are used in car manufacturing at the Mini plant in Oxford, including a look at the impressive robot dog SPOT. Pupils also learned about additional human senses such as proprioception during a talk from Mr Viaris.
In class, the children created their own model geodes, exploring how crystals form while combining scientific understanding with creativity.
Innovation and Exploration
Form 5M delighted parents with a lively science-themed assembly featuring experiments, bubbles and songs with science-inspired lyrics.
During the week, pupils tested foil boats to investigate water resistance, recreated elements of the Apollo Moon landing and built small moving “Mars rovers” using simple electric circuits. The week finished with the launch of exciting mini rockets powered by water and Alka-Seltzer.
Investigating and Analysing
Form 6 explored how the distance of a light source affects the size of a shadow, carefully recording and graphing their results. They also experimented with different bubble mixtures to investigate how bubbles can last longer and grow larger.
Learning Through Discovery
Science Week perfectly reflected the spirit of an Orchard House education—encouraging pupils to explore ideas, collaborate and develop the curiosity and confidence needed for the future. Through hands-on investigation and real-world connections, pupils experienced how science helps us understand and shape the world around us.
Visit Us
