Exploring Our Blue Planet
Highlights from Primary Science Week
In February, the Primary School celebrated a Science Week, centred on the theme of Oceans. The week offered students rich opportunities to explore the wonders beneath the sea and to understand why oceans are essential to life on our planet.
The Foundation Stage began the week with a visit from marine biologist Piers Baillie from Global Reef in Koh Tao. Through engaging stories, vivid images and interactive experiences, students were introduced to the concept of ecosystems, focusing particularly on the delicate habitats of coral reefs. A highlight was the game “Coral Reef Hide and Seek,” where students took on the roles of reef animals and predators. This playful, meaningful activity helped them understand how living things depend on one another, supporting early scientific thinking in line with Birth to 5 Matters. More importantly, students showed curiosity, kindness and care as they learned why these environments must be protected.
As the week continued, students across the Primary School built on this learning in a variety of creative ways. In Year 2, students designed their own artificial coral reefs, thinking carefully about the features that support marine life. These models were later passed on to Year 5, who developed and refined the designs. Year 4 enjoyed an unforgettable virtual reality experience, ‘diving’ into deep-sea environments and observing marine ecosystems as if they were truly underwater.
Throughout the week, Piers Baillie worked with classes across the school, leading workshops and sharing insights into coral conservation and the work Global Reef does to restore damaged reef systems. Families were also invited to a special session, allowing them to explore ocean science together.
Science Week not only sparked excitement and curiosity but also nurtured students’ understanding of environmental responsibility. Across the school, students asked thoughtful questions, made meaningful connections and demonstrated a growing commitment to caring for our oceans – qualities that will help them become informed, empathetic global citizens.
