Solar heat brings Demon author to town

Solar heat brings Demon author to town

The charity CORD, in association with the Independent Association of Private Schools, set up a competition in June this year for preparatory children. The challenge: design and make a solar cooker using day-to-day materials one could find around the house. Entrants had to raise the temperature of 100ml of water by as much as they could. The water had to be in small glass beaker.

The winning entry would have Gillian Cross, renowned author of the Demon Headmaster series, visit their school for a whole morning.

The Warminster Year 6s of 2013/14 set about collecting materials that could reflect light effectively and keep trapped heat inside a small container. The science lab became full of cardboard, newspaper, perspex and aluminium foil. Designs had to be fairly simple but effective because time was limited.

They were all very lucky because the week surrounding the Summer Solstice was hot. All the cookers were out on the adventure playground and the “before and after temperatures” were taken.

Olivia Wallis, Lucy Farey, Paige Allgrove and Amelia MacKinnon-Patterson submitted their entry which showed the largest increase in temperature. They recorded a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius after a period of about one hour.

We were all very happy when Bridget Miles of CORD contacted us to say we had won the competition!

We eagerly awaited the arrival of Gillian Cross last month and she certainly did not disappoint us. She inspired the children with her ability to create magic from normal day-to-day events. She enthused all the children by giving them lots of ideas and techniques to create stories. Many of the Warminster children are reading her books now and I for one really enjoyed her latest publication: After Tomorrow

Thanks must go to Bridget and Gillian who made this all happen. CORD is a charity that helps communities who have been affected by the ravages of war and conflict.

Joe Krige
Prep School Science Coordinator