Researchers from the University of Oxford visited Poltair School, bringing the world of Oxplore Big Questions into our classrooms. The students worked through the following ideas:

 

• Would it be better if we all spoke the same language?
• Could we ever live in space?

 

In the language workshop, students sampled and reviewed different flavours of tea, decoded the Arabic language, and explored what would happen if certain words were to vanish entirely.

 

Meanwhile in the science workshop (or should we say, the ‘rocket laboratory’?) students constructed and tested balloon-powered rockets, designed a moon base, and decided on the most useful medical equipment for a potential space hospital.

 

This visit was part of a series of events that aims to challenge those in Years 7, 8 and 9 with debates and ideas that go beyond what is usually covered in the classroom. Oxford’s Big Questions tackle complex ideas across a wide range of subjects and reflect the kind of critical thinking students undertake at university.