PRIMARY school pupils swapped their lessons for lab work during a chemistry experience day.

Youngsters from Rawdon St Peter’s C of E joined pupils from two other primaries in the chemistry laboratories at The Grammar School at Leeds to take the potions challenge. Six different potions made by six different students had got mixed up, and the task in hand was to sort out the muddle.

By carefully recording the evidence from flame tests, test tube observations and other investigations, pupils used the evidence they found and the clues provided to work out which potion was which.

Clare Seakins, gifted and talented co-ordinator at Rawdon St Peter’s, said: "Pupils have really enjoyed the experience of working in a real science laboratory and learning proper scientific procedures."

The potions challenge was devised and supervised by teachers from GSAL’s chemistry department.

Head of department, Dr Ruth Boddy, said: "By following instructions carefully to get reliable observations, working as a team and avoiding cross-contamination, pupils have done a good job in solving the challenge. They have also learned useful skills they will apply in senior school science."