PUPILS at Cricklade Manor Prep School enjoyed some hands-on learning on Tuesday with a special Science Day.

The day was themed around oceans and water to teach youngsters about caring for the environment.

Science experts from the Royal Institution gave fascinating and fun lectures to pupils and parents.

The crowning achievement of the day was an art installation near the main hall which every pupil in the school helped to create, depicting a sea turtle surrounded by strips of plastic painted with glow-in-the-dark nail polish.

Palak Heywood, head of science at Cricklade Manor Prep, said: “It’s really exciting, everyone from nursery right through to year 8 is involved, each year group has its own activity.

“The day is all about having fun, raising awareness and teaching them important skills.

“It’s a real privilege to work in a place where there are such fantastic staff and the school is small enough to do this sort of thing.”

Nicky Brookes, the school’s head of art, said: “The artwork should heighten the children’s awareness of ecological issues.

“Our art installation is about how plastics are affecting the oceans and sea turtles – everything we used was a waste product, the turtle was made out of plastic bags.

“The children absolutely loved it, it was accessible for everyone.”

Cricklade Manor Prep School used to be known as Prior Park Prep School before it recently reopened under new management.

Palak added: “It’s great to have the Royal Institution here, they gave a lecture about explosive food which the pupils really enjoyed – it was going to be about hydroelectric power to keep with the theme but that lecturer fell ill.

“We wanted to open our doors as a new school and welcome people in to watch the Royal Institution give a lecture after school too.

“If parents can be inspired, their children could be too.”