Some of our Year 8 students enjoyed an entertaining and informative trip to the Gloucestershire Schools' Christmas Lectures at the Bacon Theatre in Cheltenham today. They experienced a variety of STEM experiments and demonstrations, learning about different scientists and their contributions to science. The two expert speakers were Ruth Perkins and Mark Thompson.

Ruth took the audience on a journey to meet six amazing women in STEM who are mostly unheard of despite their achievements. Engineers, inventors, volcanologists and more! Through interactive elements comprising light, gravity and volcanoes to musical moments and crazy paper chains, pupils discovered the ground-breaking work of the six pioneers, and met the modern-day equivalents they inspired along the way. Ruth has worked for Science Made Simple for over 15 years, performing at festivals and schools across the UK and around the world.

Mark, a renowned astronomer and presenter, brought his blend of enthusiasm and expertise to the stage, captivating his audience with mind-blowing demonstrations and experiments. From exploring the wonders of the universe to unravelling the mysteries of physics and chemistry, his 'Spectacular Science Show' guaranteed a thrilling journey into the realms of scientific discovery. With a background in astrophysics and a passion for science communication, Mark has appeared on popular TV shows such as Stargazing Live and The One Show.

The Gloucestershire Schools' Christmas Lectures are organised by The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire, and sponsored by Renishaw and Spirax-Sarco Engineering.