British Science Week
Ten days of science, technology, engineering and maths - and the busiest fortnight in our calendar.
- Dates
- 5 - 14 March
- Key stages
- EYFS - KS2
- Session length
- 45 - 60 minutes
- Formats
- Up to 6 sessions a day
About this date
British Science Week is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. For most primary schools it is the one week of the year when science gets the whole timetable rather than a Thursday afternoon.
We run more workshops during Science Week than at any other point in the year, which is the reason schools tend to book it a term ahead.
What pupils will learn
The science they take away
A date on the calendar is the hook. These are the curriculum outcomes the day is built to deliver.
- 01Pupils work scientifically for a full session - observing closely, asking questions, predicting and then explaining what actually happened.
- 02Each year group meets science from outside its current topic, which gives teachers a shared reference point to return to for the rest of the term.
- 03Pupils practise using subject vocabulary out loud, to an adult who is not their class teacher, about something they have just seen for themselves.
- 04The whole school shares one experience, so the writing, displays and assemblies that follow Science Week have real first-hand material behind them.
What's included
One price, nothing to arrange
Everything below is part of a standard booking. Your school provides a large indoor space, a parking space to unload and a member of staff in each session.
- A DBS-checked facilitator on site for the whole day, leading every session from set-up before the first bell to pack-down.
- All equipment for your chosen workshop - a fully networked class set of VR headsets, or the complete hands-on kit, plus a spare and all charging.
- Risk assessment, public liability insurance certificate and DBS details emailed to your office as soon as the booking is confirmed.
- Follow-up classroom activities left with your science lead so the week carries on after the van has gone.
Workshops for this date
What we can run on the day
Pick one for the whole school, or run two alongside each other in separate spaces.
Hands-onScience Faction
Live experiments with the wow factor - and the concept behind it.
EYFS - KS245 - 60 minutes
VRSpace in VR
Every child in the class becomes an astronaut.
KS1 - KS245 - 60 minutes
Hands-onForensic Science
A crime has been committed. The class has to solve it.
KS1 - KS245 - 60 minutes
Hands-onDinosaur & Fossil Dig
Real digging, real fossils, in your own hall.
EYFS - KS245 - 60 minutes
VRHuman Body in VR
Shrink to the size of an atom and go inside.
KS1 - KS245 - 60 minutesKey dates
When it falls, when to book
British Science Week falls in the second week of March each year. Dates for the following year are announced by the British Science Association well in advance, and our March diary usually fills by the end of the autumn term.
Questions schools ask
Before you book
How far ahead should we book Science Week?
A term ahead is sensible. March dates are usually taken by the end of the autumn term, and the middle of the week goes first. If you are planning in January it is still worth asking, because we hold some capacity back for the fortnight either side.
Can we hold our science day outside the official ten days?
Yes, and many schools do. Late February, the week after Science Week and the run-up to Easter all work just as well for a whole-school day, and those dates are far easier to secure.
Can one booking cover the whole school?
Six sessions in a day covers a one-form-entry school from Reception to Year 6. Two-form-entry schools usually take two days, or run two different workshops alongside each other in separate spaces.
What happens if our hall is not free on the day?
We need one large, clear indoor space with the chairs stacked - a dining hall, a studio or two linked classrooms are all workable. Send us your hall diary when you enquire and we will build the timetable around it.