For Biology week there were some amazing activities to kindle that love for science. I absolutely loved making my t-shirt especially as I have never decorated using fabric pens before. There were so many cool designs that I didn't know which to pick: heart, skeleton, digestive tract lungs. What was even more impressive was that there was so much creativity going on, so many people turned up and had a wonderful golden smile on their face. I absolutely loved it. Thank you to our wonderful teachers for making it happen. The pictures include winners from the KS4/5 category and the KS3 category.

Nivi, Year 7

The bio bakes competition was a personal highlight of the week, an excuse to bake and eat some cake! All the bakes were incredible, with my favourite being an interactive excavation cake. The biological knowledge was also very impressive - the key stage 3 winner was a labelled model of the inside of a chloroplast, part of the photosynthesis topic I am about to do in year 13!

Beth, Year 13

On Wednesday lunchtime, Mr Dunning brought his moth trap to the Biology lab, and we set about identifying the various types of moths that had been collected overnight. Students coaxed the moths into containers, while others identified them with Mr Dunning.

We identified 13 different species of moth - from the abundant Yellow Underwings, to the masters of disguise: the Great Willow Beauty, indistinguishable from the bark of a willow tree (or from the cardboard inside the moth trap!), and the Angle Shades, whose wings look like autumn leaves.

The Biology department took lots of pictures of the distinctive moths. It was a great experience, and we all enjoyed being able to see the moths up close!  

Isabel, Year 12

Blood. Brains. Strange black liquids. I do hope you’re not squeamish! During Biology Week we’ve had numerous interesting activities that have thoroughly immersed us in the world of neuroscience and medicine. The most eventful event was, by far, was the dissection of a split lamb’s head during Physiology Friday. Hold onto your brains…

The internal anatomy of a sheep’s brain shows 4 different lobes: explained to us by the brilliant biology teachers. This included the functions of each lobe, and how the cerebellum is responsible for coordination and speech. The slide show and lecture taught the students about the physiology of the head, including the brain, jaw and eye. Students even had the opportunity to engage in the live dissection.

The internal structure of the eye shows a gel-like substance that spilled out of the cornea when cut into, which the students were able to cut open themselves and look closer at the eye, great for aspiring optometrists!

The brain is the control panel of the body; the fascinating structure of the brain shows it being split into 4 different lobes and the cerebellum; each having its own function. As we held the brain, we realised it is deceptively firm, and we were able to trace around the sulci (folds of the brain) and able to pull apart the meninges- that help encase the brain. I recommend this as the perfect alternative to a regular stress ball - I promise it's just as satisfying!

Finally, what encases it all; the split lamb’s head. Students got to dissect and explore the inner properties of a lamb’s head- such as how muscles of the jaw can operate and where different nerves can travel.

This event was truly the most memorable and a brilliant way to end a fantastic week (a testament to the hard work of the Biology Department). We hope that all of you participated - and if not, make sure to join next year!

Rachel and Zahra, Year 12