Young Scientists Shine at Truro School Prep

British Science Week has brought a week of excitement, discovery and hands-on learning to Prep, as pupils across all year groups embraced the spirit of science, technology, engineering and maths. Classrooms have been buzzing with curiosity and creativity as pupils tested their ideas and explored the scientific world around them.

In Year 3, young engineers took on a floating challenge, designing a boat using just one sheet of A4 paper, card, or aluminium foil. Their challenge was to see how much load their boat could carry before sinking. Using marbles as ballast, pupils carefully added weight to their creations, watching closely as their boats bobbed bravely on the water. Cheers erupted as each marble was added, and tension rose as the boats dipped lower and lower. The winning designs were those that held the greatest number of marbles before finally sinking beneath the surface, and the activity was a brilliant demonstration of design, testing and resilience.

Meanwhile, Year 5 pupils became budding physicists as they investigated pendulums. Their challenge was to discover what affects the period of a pendulum, the time it takes to make one full swing. Working scientifically, pupils suggested several possible variables: the mass of the pendulum, the size of the bob, the height it was released from, and the length of the string. Carefully controlling variables, they timed ten swings for each experiment, recorded their results and analysed the data. Their conclusion was clear: the length of the pendulum string determines the period. The investigation even led to discussions about how pendulum length is adjusted in grandfather clocks to keep accurate time, showing how physics connects to everyday life.

One of the most eagerly anticipated events took place on Wednesday, when Reception pupils visited the Year 1 classrooms for a morning of shared science experiments. Year 1 pupils took on the role of mentors, guiding their younger friends through the activities. The session was full of laughter, teamwork and wide-eyed discovery.

The excitement continued on Friday, with Year 6 pupils visiting the Pre-Pre to explore electricity and circuits. Together, pupils created circuit pictures, combining creativity with electrical science to produce glowing works of art.

Later that afternoon, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils visited the Senior School for a special science workshop led by Head of Chemistry at Truro School, Dr Jamie Older. The exciting session, which included making flammable methane bubbles and explosive hydrogen balloons, gave them a taste of the experiments and opportunities awaiting them in the future and no doubt inspired the next generation of scientists.

From floating boats and swinging pendulums to collaborative experiments and glowing circuits, British Science Week at Prep has been a celebration of curiosity, questioning and discovery. Across the school, pupils have explored ideas, tested theories and learned that science is not just about answers, but about asking brilliant questions and having the confidence to investigate them.

A huge thank you to Mr Piper, Mrs Jones, Dr Older and all of the other incredible staff at Truro School who made this exciting week possible.