The school year started with a bang for students at Ashlands Primary School in Ilkley as they embarked on a week of scientific investigations.

The pupils have been experimenting with everyday objects and discovering the answers to questions such as what makes things hot and cold, where does sound come from and how minibeasts survive.

Science co-ordinator Pam Dennis said the school had been a hive of activity and that the children had been discovering fascinating facts about the physical world.

“They have been focusing on how things happen and have been very surprised to discover, for example, that a melon will float in water but a grape sinks to the bottom and that a bridge made of paper can take the weight of much heavier objects.

“This has been a super week and a really exciting start to the school year.”