Poole pupils experience beastly end to Science Week

St Aldhelm’s, the Ambitions Academies Trust school in Herbert Avenue, Poole, hosted experts from Zoo Lab and Liberty Owl & Raptor Centre, for a fascinating insight into how animals adapt to their habitats.

Among other creatures, Year 7 pupils came face-to-face with Rosie the Chilean tarantula and Bramble the tawny owl.

Science technician Tracey Black, explained how the pupils had enjoyed a week full of scientific quizzes and experiments to mark British Science Week. “Highlights have included a mini science fair, an extremely exciting demo of exploding methane rockets and some really great artwork on the lifecycle of the butterfly,” she said. “Meeting these reptiles, amphibians and birds of prey has been the perfect finalé to the week.”

Pupil Josh Wickens, said, “Science Week has been amazing but meeting the birds of prey has definitely been the best bit.

“My favourite was Bolt the Harris Hawk which can fly at over 100 miles per hour.”

St Aldhelm’s was taken over by Ambitions Academies Trust in June 2015.

Under a new leadership team led by executive principal Sian Thomas, the school has since been removed from special measures and is now graded Good.