The Year 7s have been learning about plant and animal reproduction this term. Aldenham Country Park kindly brought in a selection of chicken and ducks for our Year 7 pupils to learn about key anatomical features whilst also considering the process of reproduction and egg development. The pupils were fascinated to learn how the structure of an egg can support a chick through development and how it compares to embryonic development in humans. The pupils were keen to find out how these eggs compare to those bought from a shop and how oxygen and carbon dioxide get into and out of the egg shell.

Aldenham Country Park also loaned us an incubator and seven fertilised eggs. Pupils of all ages have been keenly tracking the progress of our chicks’ development and we were thrilled to see that two chicks had hatched on Monday morning, a day earlier than expected. The Science Department has seen regular visits ever since, by pupils and teachers alike, all keen to track the progress of our newly hatched chicks. The chicks will shortly be returned to Aldenham Country Park where they will be kept to lay eggs. In the Biology Department we are keen to continue this project with duck eggs next term. Watch this space!