Six Year 5 girls who enjoy being stretched and challenged in science and literature were invited to St Mary's School, Cambridge where they had the opportunity to attend a workshop to explore the relationship between science, religion, literature based around the author Julia Golding's latest novel. They had read the author's book, enjoyed meeting her and having their own copies of her book signed. 

They discussed the issue of female representation in the scientific community and asked big questions such as "Can science and faith fit together? Can science explain everything? If we have science, do we need religion anymore? Where do we come from? What will happen in the future? Do most scientists believe in God?"

The girls were taught about the following female scientists. Have you heard of Jennifer Wiseman, Katherine Hayhoe, Mary Schweitzer, Deborah Haarsma?  Did you know that Robert Boyle, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, Carl Linnaeus, Lord Kelvin, James Clerk Maxwell, Sir Isaac Newton, Michael Faraday were all scientists who were also Christians?

"I enjoyed the chromatography because I learnt to solve the crime using scientific evidence and that anyone can be a scientist."

"I wanted to see the results of the inks changing on the wet filter paper. The author taught me to persevere when writing a book and to do it in stages."

"I enjoyed listening to the scientists and I learnt that science can't answer everything. You can't rely on science for answers to everything. We must use other ways to get the true answer."

"When I was acting in the mystery 'who dunnit?', I had fun. I also learnt what phrenology is and enjoyed watching Lizzie setting 'science gas' to water and washing up liquid and what happened when it was lit."

"Anyone can write if you try. I liked talking and listening to the author Julia about phrenology."

An Art Masterclass organised by Network CB23 held at Haslingfield Endowed CE Primary School, offered two Year 5 pupils an opportunity to actively participate in a high learning potential art lesson with peers from other primary schools at the beginning of the Spring term.

Together with pupils from Barton CE Primary School, Bourn CE Primary School, Meridian Primary School and Haslingfield Endowed CE Primary School, our Year 5 pupils were taught by specialist art teacher Katherine Woodard to apply their drawing skills in depth and become more proficient in pencil sketching. They also explored ideas creating collage. Whilst evaluating and analysing sketches and collages, they learned to understand the need for shadow and form from careful shading and drawing ‘what you see.’ Here's what they thought:

“I really enjoyed the Art Masterclass. I learnt that if you use shadow when you sketch, it looks very effective and realistic. You can use different sketch pencils to create various styles and thicknesses. One of my favourite parts was the warm up where you had to draw a cup in lots of different ways e.g. with our non-dominant hand, not looking at the paper. I loved the whole experience.”

“I really enjoyed the Art Masterclass and I feel like I improved a lot in collage which we made of a cup and saucer. It was fun and a good experience.”  

Network ^cb23 is a community of 15 schools comprising thirteen primary schools and two secondary schools within the southwest Cambridge area. Founded in 2009 (and originally called Network 11) it is an equal partnership of strong and diverse schools.