Primary Pupils Become Forensic Investigators

Posted at 11:56 am on 25th April, 2023

Wellacre Hosts CSI Challenge

Wellacre invited local primary school pupils to undertake an exciting Crime Scene Investigation Challenge, in celebration of British Science Week.

  

Year 4 and 5 pupils from Davyhulme, Our Lady of the Rosary, Acre Hall, St. Monica's and Woodhouse primary schools were invited to attend the ‘crime scene’ at Wellacre’s Eco Centre to work the clues and find out who stole the missing House Trophy!

Ably assisted by Wellacre’s Science team and the Year 9, 10 and 11 Science Ambassadors, pupils eliminated suspects - Wellacre teachers Mrs Partridge, Mr Thomson and Mr Whitehead - using a series of crime scene investigations.

  

Clues on the scene included a muddy footprint, white power remnants  (flour, sherbet dip or wash powder!) fingerprints and a handwritten letter.  Using scientific experiments, pupils extracted DNA, compared the chemical and physical properties of powders, and used chromatography to separate the coloured pigments in pen ink to pinpoint the thief. 

Well done to all the budding forensic scientists who successfully revealed the thief and returned Wellacre’s House Trophy to its rightful place - the Pankhurst trophy cabinet.

Mrs Siddall, Assistant Leader in Science, said:

“The CSI workshops were a great success! I’d like to thank Wellacre's Science Ambassadors who were excellent assistants and so confident in helping our young visitors with the experiments and explaining the science behind them.” 

Feedback for the workshops were extremely positive:

“Thank you so much for inviting us to Wellacre - the children had an amazing time and couldn't stop talking about it when they returned to school.”

St Monica’s Primary School

“Thank you for hosting our Year 4 class for the CSI challenge. The children (and adults) have not stopped raving about it since returning and all said it was an incredibly enjoyable experience. Thank you again for inviting us!”

Acre Hall Primary School

“My daughter attended the science morning. I just wanted to give you some feedback, she absolutely loved it. She explained to me about the videos the teachers had made and the effort put in to ensure they enjoyed it.”

Primary School Parent

Mrs Sharrock, Principal, commented:

“The CSI Challenge was a great success.  Thank you to Science staff and Student Ambassadors for all their hard work.”