NORTHWICH YOUNG SCIENTISTS ARE WILD ABOUT WATER.

07/10/2009

YOUNGSTERS at a Northwich Primary School found themselves in muddy water as they tried to help engineers at Deeside Power station find new filtering solutions.

The Year Six pupils at Witton Church Walk Primary School were transformed into mini-scientists for the day to produce their very own filtration techniques for industry.

The pupils were responding to a letter sent to them by the station manager at International Power asking for help in the power station’s muddy water challenge.

Sue Andrews, Chemicals Northwest’s advisory teacher for Primary schools, led the pupil’s quest to find real solutions to the industrial problem as part of a scheme to help promote a career in science and industry to the ten and 11-year-olds.

The school is working with Chemicals Northwest as part of an on-going Children Challenging Industry programme to challenge children’s perceptions about the chemical industry, which is one of the region’s biggest employers.

The pupils, who, like real scientists, methodically recorded all their filtration results, will report back their findings when they visit Deeside Power station on December 8.

Mrs Andrews explained: “Chemicals are vital to everything we do and it is essential that we have more exceptional chemists and scientists coming through the ranks to work in the chemical sector.

“Our work is not only to change the perception of the chemical industry with the younger generation but to show them how interesting and exciting jobs in science and chemistry can be.

“We grab the children’s attention with practical experiments such as this muddy water challenge and follow it up with a site visit to a local chemical company.

“They love doing the experiments and getting kitted out in the goggles and gloves.

“And throughout the session they are addressed as ‘young scientists’ and each have a role such as health and safety officer or resource manager.

“The activities not only involve science, maths and teamwork but also really mimic industry. It encourages the children to be excited about science and maybe one day a career as a chemist.

“The response we have had with these children is amazing. They were so excited to have received this letter from the station manager at International Power.

“We even over heard them telling their friends that these water experiments were ‘really, really cool.’”

Chemicals Northwest are now running science programmes with 40 Northwest schools to allow children as young as nine the chance to carry out experiments and visit some of the biggest chemical companies in the region.

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