A Level students from BTC were granted the opportunity of participating in Science Week at Wembdon St George’s School, a primary school based in Bridgwater.

A total of seven students signed up to volunteer their time, and four students attended a total of five days, interacting with children from a range of year groups.

Tasked with delivering physics-based sessions on Earth and space, the students organised their own lessons and activities with help from their tutors and the fantastic Wembdon teaching staff.

Activities for the children included working with playdoh to create their own unique planets, drawing their own astronaut, creating planets of our solar system using cardboard cut-outs and coloured wool, and making ‘bottle rockets’ with water; judging whose bottle would cover the furthest distance.

BTC students focused on engaging, interactive lessons – culminating in each element coming together to turn the classroom itself into space! Featuring every piece of the children’s own work, they toured the room, explaining the mechanisms of our solar system along the way.

Soher Bayoumi, A Level Student, said,

It was a new experience for us, but you learn a lot of important skills and see things in a different light. Teaching really does take a special kind of patience, and I have so much respect for the hard work that teachers do. We were all supported by the fantastic staff of Wembdon, with a teacher always on-hand and in-class to support us. It felt so rewarding to see the kids discuss our little experiments with one another.

Prabhjot Multani, A Level Student, said,

It’s important to do this kind of thing with kids, because science can lead to such varied careers – and we can inspire them to do just that. It really opened my eyes to how much teachers do; sometimes, it’s easy to wonder how they manage to be so enthusiastic and engaging all the time. It’s hard to keep up with the energy of younger kids, but very rewarding.

Sarah Shaw, A Level Student, said,

I really enjoyed my time at Wembdon, and would love to go back. I feel so lucky to have had such an opportunity, and am hopeful it has inspired future generations to do what we do.

Kiera McCallum, A Level Student, said,

I would love to do more of this whilst I am at the college. It was a great experience. When I was a kid, I remember a space dome planetarium coming into my school for the day. And that’s what made me fall in love with space, which in turn has led me to study the subjects that I am. When you’re young, everything is such an unknown and also really exciting – you want to explore everything so much more. It’s nice to think I could inspire someone similarly to how I was.

For information about A Levels and other courses available at BTC, please visit www.btc.ac.uk, call Information and Advice on 01278 441234, or come to one of our events.