In celebration of their work on space and World Space Week, our Year 2 pupils had a fabulous fun-packed educational trip to the Herstmonceux Observatory Science Centre. They started the day visiting two domes housing historic telescopes, one dating back to 1896. Here, they learnt about how the lenses capture photographs of space and one of the lenses weighed 25 stone!

The children were amazed to see the dome opening to the sky and discovering that the floor would rise up for people to observe space. There was a spectacular science show where the science of how astronauts are launched into space was demonstrated. This highlighted the necessary combustion for a rocket to take off, which was demonstrated by the use of a giant water bottle using fuel, oxygen and ignition we were all astounded by the explosive experience.

A workshop explored the materials and qualities needed to build an impermeable space suit, helmet, gloves and boots. A lot of problem solving was required and the teachers were impressed by the children’s lateral thinking and questions. In the discovery park, a giant auger required the children to work as a team to move a ball up through its centre through rotation.