--- title: "Students take part in the Rocket Science Experiment" url: "https://www.thewestleighschool.co.uk/news/2016-05-06-students-take-part-in-the-rocket-science-experiment" school: "The Westleigh School" --- # Students take part in the Rocket Science Experiment ![Image of Students take part in the Rocket Science Experiment](https://files.schudio.com/westleigh-high/images/news/Rocket_Science_experiment.jpg) 6 May 2016 **WESTLEIGH STUDENTS TAKE PART IN THE ROCKET SCIENCE EXPERIMENT** British astronaut Tim Peake has asked schoolchildren to help him with one of his scientific experiments and students from Westleigh have accepted the challenge. Tim Peake has asked students to plant rocket seeds that have been in orbit with him, and compare their growth with rocket plants that have stayed on Earth. The study will help find ways to grow food in space which will be essential if humans travel to distant planets. “This experiment will aim to see if microgravity can affect the growth mechanisms in seeds," Tim Peake states. "This will be genuinely useful science," "There will be impacts from zero gravity and from cosmic radiation and no one really knows what those will be. "So the results really will contribute to the science of how to grow plants in space". The experiment, called **Rocket Science**, could help researchers to develop hardier varieties of crops to be grown in space. "With the Rocket Science project, young people across the UK can help us prepare for the next stage of human exploration." The seeds have not arrived at school yet - we are expecting them to reach us after Easter when the experiment can begin! Watch this space! [ Spanish Exchange Student spends time at Westleigh](https://www.thewestleighschool.co.uk/news/2016-02-11-spanish-exchange-student-spends-time-at-westleigh) [Farewell to our Y11s ](https://www.thewestleighschool.co.uk/news/2016-07-19-farewell-to-our-y11s) - ![We are a nut-free school](https://files.schudio.com/westleigh-high/images/partners/Nut_Free_School.png) - [![Shaw Education Trust](https://files.schudio.com/westleigh-high/images/partners/Shaw_Education_Trust_-_CMYK_Logo_on_Light_-_010721_SMALL(1).png)](http://www.shaw-education.org.uk/) - ![Safeguarding Standard](https://files.schudio.com/westleigh-high/images/partners/Safeguarding-Standard(1).png) - [![CEOP Report](https://files.schudio.com/westleigh-high/images/partners/reporttoceop.jpg)](https://www.ceop.police.uk/ceop-reporting/) - ![Disclaimer](https://files.schudio.com/westleigh-high/images/partners/disclaimer3.png) [Embedded content](https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2372.408505190141!2d-2.531707922820416!3d53.5147608621084!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x487b07b56bf718a3%3A0xee805cdf56b0b85c!2sThe%20Westleigh%20School!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1685615514945!5m2!1sen!2suk) ![The Westleigh School](https://files.schudio.com/westleigh-high/images/logo/wlhs-final-school-logo-horizontal-2022-CSp-large_-ofsted.png) **The Westleigh School** Westleigh Lane Leigh WN7 5NL Tel: 01942 202 580 Email: [![Shaw Education Trust](https://files.schudio.com/shaw-education-trust-2/images/logo/set-misc/footer-logo-v1.png)](https://shaw-education.org.uk) **Shaw Education Trust** Kidsgrove Secondary School Gloucester Road Kidsgrove ST7 4DL VAT: GB 358822467 Tel: 01782 948259 Email: Company Number: 09067175 ### Staff Links - [Arbor](https://the-westleigh-school.uk.arbor.sc/) - [Outlook 365](https://outlook.office365.com) - [School Cloud](https://westleigh.schoolcloud.co.uk/Auth/Teacher) - [Remote Access](https://westleighremote.shaw-education.org.uk/RDWeb/Pages/en-US/Default.aspx) - [IT Helpdesk](http://srvweb/portal) - [SISRA Analytics ](https://www.sisraanalytics.co.uk/) - [Student Wellbeing Concern](https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=48aZkktFFECRk1vXiMa8-szV8iaaRgxKjK6_Z-olMT1UMEVDUjBOTkJVMjJDMU5aM0g5WVhCUjFZUi4u) - [Union Provision](https://www.thewestleighschool.co.uk/union-provision) ### Social Media - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/thewestleighschool/) - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@TheWestleighSchool) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/thewestleighschool/) © Copyright 2015–2026 The Westleigh School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://www.thewestleighschool.co.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)