THE force was with Devizes School when it took part in a science festival and won the prize for the top secondary school.

The White Horse Federation's annual festival pitted 14 schools against each other in workshops which put their knowledge of forces to the test and then pupils had to build an all-terrain vehicle.

More than 100 children from primary schools from Wiltshire, Swindon and north Oxfordshire took part in the festival in Swindon. Secondary school pupils taught the younger children and then competed in the all-terrain contest.

Ioana Scanlon from The Croft primary in Swindon, who organised the festival said that the older children from years nine and 10 from Devizes School, Gloucester Academy and The Ridgeway Secondary in Wroughton devised challenges for the youngsters, including building marble runs and Moana canoes, as well as building balloon racers, before taking part in their own ATV Challenge.

Workshops were also held by interns from Intel using computer technology to repair spaceships to explore extra-terrestrial activity in outer space.

She said: “The WHF is proud of the fact that our schools work in partnership, both with each other as well as with their local communities and local businesses.

“Across the WHF we want to empower children to believe that they can be successful, to improve their minds through the power of science and of course to have fun at the same time. We have a wealth of inspiration in our local community, through the businesses and their staff who want to inspire and work with our children, as well as our local resources like the NSBRC which can encourage young people to explore their future opportunities and consider apprenticeships alongside the traditional academic routes.

“The Festival is now a regular part of the WHF’s calendar of extra added-value activities for schools in the Trust. We’re already planning on making 2019’s festival even bigger.

" Other partner schools, including the Academy Trust of Melksham schools, will be joining us this year to see how they can be involved moving forward for the benefit of more children across the region.”