Giant egg at school sparks science week

Boxted St Peter's Primary School pupils discover a dinosaur egg in the school grounds. Year six pupils investigate

The youngsters examined the find, thought to have been laid over the weekend at the edge of the playground, after assembly along with an RSPB expert.

The egg will be used to inspire creative writing and kick-start a week of activities including experiments and a petting zoo.

Year six pupil Reece thought on first inspection it could be a dinosaur egg, while classmate Rhiannan thought it might be a giant chicken.

Reece, 10, said: “I didn’t think eggs could be that big.

“Maybe it chose the school because it would be quiet at the weekend.

“Perhaps we will get to see it hatch. I certainly want to study it a bit more.”

Rhiannan, 11, added: “I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was quite well camouflaged.”

Matthew Mather, the school’s science co-ordinator, said: “The theme is animals and humans, and it is awesome to have opportunities like this to give the children the creative stimuli to let their imaginations run wild.

“That is what the job is all about, and setting aside the time to allow the children to immerse themselves and take things as far as they want. It is nice for us to see how their imagination works, and often they go in a direction we would never have even thought of.”

The school is also one of a handful to be chosen to take part in the Tim Peake Rocket Science Programme, and later in the year will help to grow seeds cultivated on the International Space Station by the British astronaut.

Mr Mather added: “We feel very privileged to be involved with the project.

“It is great that science is so high profile at the moment, and the children are so engaged. It has definitely caught their imagination.”