Young scientists showcase bright ideas at the Big Science Event

From testing which chocolate can withstand the most pressure to investigating if flowers grow faster than vegetables, local primary school pupils have been finding answers to big questions about the world around them through science – and sharing their discoveries.

60 budding young scientists from 13 Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire primary schools showed their curiosity and ingenuity on 16^th June at the annual Big Science Event at the Science Oxford Centre, run in collaboration with the Great Science Share for Schools.

This initiative inspires children ages 5 to 11 to ask their own scientific questions, design investigations, draw conclusions and then share their findings. Prepared with infectious enthusiasm, scientific posters displaying their process and findings as well as equipment from their experiments, children demonstrated an impressive grasp of working scientifically. They proved that you are never too young to make a discovery.

Building skills and empowering children

Interesting scientific questions included: Stokenchurch Primary Year 3’s “Which material makes the best parachute and slows the fall the most?”; Eynsham Primary Year 6’s “Does branded cereal taste better than non-branded cereal?”; and North Leigh CE Primary Year 6’s “What is the best filter for pond water and muddy water?”.

Daniel Scholes, Head of Education and event lead, commented, “Seeing the science questions that pupils have about their world is always eye-opening, and observing teachers supporting them to find answers for themselves is truly inspirational. The Big Science Event is Science Oxford’s opportunity to bring all of that together to celebrate the science learning taking place in our local primary schools.”

Francesca MacLennan, Director of Science Education and Engagement remarked, “Giving pupils the autonomy to run their own scientific enquiries helps to build key skills such as higher-order thinking, problem-solving, and oracy, all while empowering young people to understand the world around them which fosters positive attitudes to science going forward.”

Katie Brodie from Witney Community Primary School said. “Children felt excited to follow their own interests and line of questioning to investigate and share. The process involved deep thinking and collaboration and has provoked further questioning.”

Part of something bigger

This year, 127 schools from Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire registered to participate in the Great Science Share for Schools with hundreds of pupils participating in science investigations and sharing their questions and findings in local schools. Their pupils were among the record number of over million participants all over the world.

Grace Marston, Campaign Manager for Great Science Share for Schools, said, “To reach over one million pupils registered in Great Science Share for Schools is a huge milestone, and one that all collaborators such as Science Oxford can be proud of. This campaign makes a huge difference to teachers and young people by helping to shine a spotlight on science, and emphasise the importance of pupils having opportunities to be curious, ask questions and connect their learning to the world they live in.”

Hands-on science

Schools participating in the Great Science Share for Schools were selected through a draw to attend the Big Science Event at the Science Oxford Centre in Headington for a day of fun with science, while sharing and celebrating their investigations. Children spent time in the Exploration Zone with its range of interactive, hands-on exhibits to inspire discovery, and were delighted to explore outdoors and learn about life in the ponds at the Centre as part of pond-dipping workshops.

 

In the build-up to the Big Science Event, Science Oxford visited local primary schools which have run their own in-school events, where pupils have had the opportunity to talk about their investigations with friends, parents, teachers and a range of guests working in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Thanks to support from our partners

The Big Science Event is generously supported by industry partners Diamond Light Source and Abbott. Their volunteers also shared science on the day with discussions around interesting questions of why chocolate tastes different after it has melted and which foods contain the most sugar.

The Big Science Event is one of the flagship initiatives of Science Oxford’s Primary Schools Programme, which supports STEM teaching and learning for primary schools across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Francesca MacLennan, Director of Science Education and Engagement said, “We are passionate about providing a wealth of opportunities for young people and working closely with teachers to support the enhancement of STEM education in the region.”

If you’re interested in involving your school in 2026/2027, keep an eye on our Big Science Event page for guidance on how to take part.

 

Photos by Ed Nix