Students take part in stargazing evening

Learners from across the Summit Learning Trust family attended a Stargazing evening delivered in partnership with the Ogden Trust at Solihull Sixth Form College recently.

The Ogden Trust aims to enthuse young people in science and increase the uptake of post-16 Physics studies. Their representative at this event was teacher Ben Wilkes, who came onto campus to deliver a talk to learners of all ages on astronomy in one of the College’s Chemistry laboratories.

The presentation explored the search for life in the universe, the James Webb Space Telescope and how astronomers search for new worlds beyond our own. Following the talk, everyone went outside to take advantage of a cloudless evening and view the Moon, Mercury and Mars through a telescope. Ben Wilkes also pointed out some of the brighter constellations visible.

Primary learners from the Summit Learning Trust were in attendance, with learners from Erdington Hall Primary School, Kineton Green Primary School, The Oaklands Primary School, Pegasus Primary School and Yarnfield Primary School invited. College students, as well as learners from our Trust’s secondary schools - Cockshut Hill School, Lyndon School and Ninestiles, an Academy – were also included.

Erin Riordan-Jarvis, lead practitioner for Physics at the College, helped to organise the event with Natasha Peachey, a science teacher at Lyndon School.

Erin commented: "We were delighted to see so many learners and their families at this event and we thank Ben from the Ogden Trust for giving up his time to share his passion for stargazing. This is the third year that we have staged this event, but this evening was by far the best for stargazing, with little cloud cover. Everyone enjoyed the event and we hope it has sown the seed for loving science in our young people."