The CREST Awards is a national competition in which pupils get the chance to put their science and engineering skills to use. We have to design and carry out investigations that answer everyday scientific questions about the world around us. Examples of past investigations include “How fishy are fish cakes?” and “How warm are my slippers?”.

We are currently investigating “What is the best way to cheat at conkers?”. We are treating the conkers with heat, vinegar, Cillit Bang and hand cream and then finding out which can take the greatest number of impacts before cracking.

We have designed our own automated conker tester (see picture) and we hope to gain a Bronze CREST Award. Following this we are aiming to get to the regional show where other schools show off their projects and compete for a place at the national competition later in the year. We will keep you updated. Wish us luck.