PUPILS of Elton Primary School and Nursery showed that they have all the elements of success required to be top scientists.

They triumphed in the Chemical Industries Association’s International Year of the Periodic Table Competition: Primary School Category.

The competition, open to schools across the UK, aimed to get students of all ages thinking about the importance of the periodic table and why the elements are vital to life today.

Elton Primary School’s Year 6 class struck gold with their creative, fun design for an elements quiz.

Children designed their own board game and created challenging questions for a wide range of elements.

Their innovative idea impressed the judges who selected their project as winner ahead of competitors from across the country.

Sarah Evans, the children’s class teacher, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for the children to creatively demonstrate their love of science.

"The 80s TV game Blockbusters inspired our design and we had great fun playing the final game in class – even having a gold rush.”

The children, who have now moved on to Helsby High School, returned to their primary school and were joined by current Year 6 pupils to accept the winner’s certificate and a cheque for £1,000 presented by Jennifer Peake, technical manager at William Blythe.

Jennifer was delighted with the chosen win as it had perfectly met the brief for creativity, an essential aspect of working in the chemical industry.

She said: “It is so important that we nurture creativity in our future scientists and inspire students to think about how the content of their textbooks relates to the world around them.

"Elton Primary School put together a fantastic entry and it was wonderful to meet the students and teachers behind the board game."

Steve Elliott, chief executive of the Chemical Industries Association said: “We need to make science education more fun and at the same time look at new ways of communicating its importance.

"Elton Primary School have showed the way. Congratulations to the winning students and to the staff for their innovative approach”.