Daresbury labs is home to some of the most cutting edge Scientists in the world, researching everything from cures for diseases to what happened before the Big Bang.

A group of talented Year 9 pupils were selected to take part in a ‘Chemistry at Work’ event at Daresbury Laboratory. The opportunity offered students the chance to understand the place of chemistry in everyday life and the world of work, with particular emphasis on what is happening in industry within their local area.

The aim of the day was to show the exciting, interesting and wealth-creating activities that are worth considering as the basis of a career in Science, technology and Engineering subjects.

The pupils who attended the event were excellent ambassadors for the School and we look forward to seeing their careers in Science progress until they too are making exciting discoveries of their own!

As part of BCA’s specialist programme to develop future Engineers and scientists five Year 9 pupils recently attended a Science in Industry Conference at Amec Nuclear Services in Birchwood.

Pupils were given the chance to explore the Nuclear energy business and to highlight the range of potential career pathways, including safety consultants, project managers and mechanical and electrical engineers. All highly qualified, well paid and sought after careers.

Will we see the following pupils running a nuclear power station in a few years?

Year 9 work goes on display at the Warrington Town Museum.

The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday 1 March and continue until 21 June 2014.

Beamont Collegiate Academy work will be on show with two other schools from Warrington, Great Sankey High School and Lymm High School.

Some fantastic work, try to get to see this if you can.

A big thank you to all those parents helping students with their ideas:  Well done Year 9, a great effort from those involved.

The Exhibition is called “Memories” and is in the main Gallery on the balcony area.

The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday 1 March and continue until 21 June 2014.

Year 10 student at Beamont Collegiate Academy, Lucy Clarke, 14 returned triumphant from the recent WUKF European Karate Championships held in Sheffield with a bronze medal from the 13 – 14 year old girls category.

Lucy, who trains at least 5 times a week between her two clubs in Warrington, Woolston Karate Centre and Cheshire Martial Arts Club after being head hunted for the SKA England Squad for her talents took to the karate floor within the Kata discipline which involves attacking and defence moves in a sequence.

The event attracts thousands of competitors from across Europe every two years. So Lucy was up against competitors from Romania, Denmark and Italy within her category. After being whittled down from 40 entrants within the 13 – 14 year old girls class to 12 and then to 6 in the final, Lucy was judged by 5 judges who each awarded the competitors a score based on her sequence of moves which was in turn totalled up to award the podium places.

On her bronze medal experience Lucy said “I was quite overwhelmed when it happened because I wasn’t expecting to place. It’s the biggest achievement of my life so far”.

Lucy who has only been training since the age of 10 hopes to open her own Dojo (training club) in the future with her fellow team mate and bronze medal winner Jessica Bates who competed in the 16 – 17 female category.

Dallam Primary school pupils got to grips with science at a nearby high school.  Youngsters from the Boulting Avenue school paid a visit to Beamont Collegiate Academy and discovered about the interesting world of science with a range of experiments.  Pupils Alice Bands and Charlie Daniels with teacher Laura Mellor testing out an experiment.

Superstar rugby player Danny Walker, 14, who currently plays as a Hooker for Widnes Vikings under 16s Academy has been selected for the England youth under 16s squad.

Having only been playing on his scholarship with Widnes Vikings for 6 months Danny quickly stood out as a star player and has been called up for the England squad.

When asked how he felt the Beamont Collegiate Academy pupil said “Over the moon! I can’t get over the fact that I have been chosen for it! Now it is time to progress and hopefully achieve my goal of becoming a professional rugby player.”

Danny was interested in rugby from a young age, following in his older brother’s rugby footsteps as he aspired to be just like them. He started out at the Rylands Sharks aged 6 and training has been a large part of his life ever since. He currently trains at least twice a week with the Widnes Vikings under 16s Academy and one a week with the under 19s Academy.

As part of his England squad selection Danny will be going for a heart test in Sheffield later this month followed by a fitness test in Leeds in February. Once he has passed both of these stages he will join the squad officially and the season will start in March.

When asked what he puts his success down to modest Danny said “My success is down to my Mum & Dad, my coaches, school and generally people who have been there for me all of the time”.

Dad, Stuart Walker said “To be selected to represent his country amazed and shocked me as he is only 14 and is a wonderful achievement and great reward for all the effort and hard work that Danny has put it. My objective at the moment is to keep Danny’s feet firmly on the ground!”

The staff and pupils at Beamont Collegiate Academy wish Danny all the very best in his rugby career. We are all very proud of what he has achieved.