Prominent genome professor visits primary school

Naseby Church of England Primary Academy, part of the Pathfinder Schools family, was thrilled to welcome prominent genome and genetics specialist, Professor Julian Barwell, as its guest speaker for British Science Week.

In his first school visit since publishing a new children’s book, ‘What is DNA?’, Professor Barwell entertained pupils with a rap about the genome sequence and delivered ahumorous introduction to DNA and genetics to help the children find out what they are made of.

Giving each child a copy of his book, he answered questions and shared fun facts about DNA – including that we all have a chromosome that is 2 billion years old plus our age, and that a chicken is a dinosaur!

The visit is just one in a special week of activities, designed to put science under the spot light, which will also include a session on the seasons, and experiments using different sized sieves and food stuffs to learn about how our upper and lower respiratory systems filter particles in the air.

Louise Cook, Headteacher, Naseby Church of England Primary Academy, said: “As Professor Barwell has brilliantly demonstrated, science is at the heart of everything we are and do, and so it is apt that we put science under the spotlight at school this week. With plenty of opportunities for hands on experiments and experiences, we aim to show the children just how much science there is in the world and life around them. And you never know, we may inspire the next generation of DNA discovery!”