On Thursday 4th October, forms 3, 4, 5 and 6 went on a science trip to Sandford Mill in Chelmsford. All of the children enjoyed a river study, learning how rivers are formed and playing ‘Pooh sticks’ to determine which part of the river flowed the fastest. They also walked to a lock to learn how it worked.
Forms 3 and 4 also studied friction, learning what friction is, and how it can be decreased to make things move smoothly. They looked at how smoke is produced when there is a lot of friction between moving parts, and a cut-away engine showed how lubrication is used when there are many moving parts.
Form 5 and 6 looked at how different materials are used as conductors and insulators and built a circuit to work a burglar alarm and a lighthouse. They powered a big circuit using a bicycle and sent Morse code. They also made electromagnets.
Thames Barrier Visit
On Tuesday 26th September children in Forms 5 and 6 visited the Thames Barrier. They took part in a river walk where the children found out when and why the barrier was built, and how it works. The children also investigated the profile of the River Thames from it’s source to it’s mouth, identifying towns, bridges and tributaries along its path.
In the afternoon the children took part in a flood evacuation game. Pupils had to visit four rooms of a house and identify which items they would take with them in a rucksack before they were airlifted out. This provided a great deal of debate as each child tried to justify which items should be included, even a pet cat!
Staff and children enjoyed the visit and learned how to survive should Maldon ever be flooded.
