Students in the upper years have enjoyed plenty of scientific discovery this week with events exploring challenges in chemistry, physics and biology, and a glimpse into the worlds of AI, data science and space design.
Colfe’s was delighted to welcome around twenty Year 10 pupils from our partner schools, Addey & Stanhope and St Paul’s Academy, for the annual Science Afternoon. Working alongside some of our own aspiring scientists, they explored practical challenges in Chemistry, Biology and Physics, gaining an early insight into A Level concepts through hands-on investigation. Experiments included measuring enzyme reaction rates, a challenge to match world record chemical test reaction times, and building speakers with paper cups, magnets, plasticine, cling film and wires – much to the delight of the students when they discovered their speakers worked.
The future of humankind was the focus for a group of keen Y11 Physicists who took part in the UK Space Design Competition national finals at Imperial College, an exciting event that challenged participants to think like engineers and innovators of the future.
The competition focused on designing space cargo ships and planning distribution systems for future human settlements beyond Earth. Our team rose to the challenge by developing a modular spacecraft design featuring vertical storage and integrated internal systems, a solution that impressed the judges for its creativity and practicality.
The students greatly enjoyed the day, with reflections including: “It was a great day, I really enjoyed meeting new people who share similar interests. The highlight was working consistently well in teams” (Alice), “I loved collaborating with students of different abilities. It felt like a real company environment” (Cooper), “It gave me a real sense of what an engineering workplace might be like” (Sebastian). The competition judge overseeing the group commented on the team’s “innovative, resilient, and professional” approach, highlighting Michael’s presentation for showcasing the team’s vision and Hakon’s confident responses during the Q&A session. The day also featured an inspiring presentation by the Imperial College Rocket Club, which sparked plenty of ideas among our students on how to bring their own concepts to life.
Meanwhile, Computer Science and Further Maths students from Years 11, 12 and 13 attended a presentation by AI and Data Science professional (and Colfe’s parent) Mr Maréchal. who brought a wealth of knowledge from his career as a software engineer and data scientist. His talk gave students a clear picture of the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, covering, educational pathways into AI and Data Science, current and future job market opportunities and real-world examples of how AI is transforming industries.
Head of Computer Science Katy Walsh said: “Mr Maréchal’s session was a really valuable chance to broaden students’ understanding of the field and the many career possibilities in technology and innovation. By exploring practical applications and future trends, the presentation helped students see how their studies can lead to exciting roles in cutting-edge sectors and connected classroom learning with real-world opportunities.”
