SCIENCE students took a hands-on approach to science after visiting the global healthcare company, GlaxoSmithKline, earlier this month.

Evie Scott, 11, Holly Robinson, Grace Tarpey, Caleb Baker, Jack Parsons-Munn, all 12 and 16-year-old Alec Sabey from Teesdale School, Barnard Castle, visited the town's GSK's site to find out more about the research, development and manufacture of their dermatological products after developing a partnership with the company to allow pupils to go and find out more science careers.

The students are all members of a school club which offers weekly extra-curricular science and practical activities on the latest developments within science, technology, engineering and maths.

After an introduction to the chemical engineering involved, students were familiarised with the raw materials and manufacturing equipment and then got stuck into the real-time production of an emollient used to treat a variety of dry skin conditions.

Grace Tarpey, said: “It was interesting to meet the different employees at GlaxoSmithKline and find out how their school science was so relevant to their current jobs.”

Fellow pupil, Jack Parsons-Munn, added: “The experience of being in a real lab gave me the feeling that I was experiencing chemistry on a professional level.”