29/09/26 – Alston Observatory

As part of our Stargazers topic, the children visited Alston Observatory to develop their knowledge and understanding of space and the night sky. The visit provided a valuable cultural capital experience, allowing the children to apply their classroom learning in a real-world setting and experience an environment and subject area that they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to access.

Prior to the visit, the children worked together to plan and generate questions that they wanted to find out the answers to. This encouraged curiosity, critical thinking and active participation, while helping the children to identify what they already knew and what they wanted to learn more about.

During the visit, the children were able to deepen their understanding of key curriculum concepts linked to space, the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and stars. They were introduced to new vocabulary such as ‘constellation’ and were beginning to identify some of these by name. They listened to expert knowledge, asked their prepared questions and made links between what they had learned in the classroom and what they experienced at the observatory.

Upon returning to school, the children showcased and consolidated their knowledge through a quiz, recalling key facts and sharing what they had learned during the visit. This provided an opportunity for the children to demonstrate their understanding and reflect on their experiences.

The trip supported the development of scientific enquiry, vocabulary, communication and questioning skills, while also broadening the children’s experiences and understanding of the world beyond the classroom. It provided an exciting and memorable opportunity for the children to develop their curiosity about the universe and further engage with our Stargazers topic.