Children look for crime scene clues

Jacqui Thompson of Pulse CSI with, from left – Tristan Parr, Nirik Subba, Rhys Owen and Ellarie Bye.

Year Six pupils at Cranwell Primary School were visited last Wednesday by Jacqui Thompson and her travelling roadshow, Pulse CSI, as she taught the youngsters how to solve a case using forensic techniques.

Having travelled all over the country with her educational experience workshops, it was a welcome return for Jacqui who is based in Cranwell having moved there with her family from Singapore in 1971 as a child.

She said: “My father was based at RAF Cranwell.

From left – Georgia Lister, Imogen McEvoy, Elizabella Thornton, Katie Jane

“I have done a few little bits for the school here but never a full workshop. I also bumped into an ex-colleague from Lincolnshire Police.”

Jacqui said that the morning was spent learning the techniques of crime scene investigation, then in the afternoon the children worked in teams to use their newfound skills and curiosity.

Each team had a poster size crime scene with various pieces of forensic evidence left at the scene to collect, identify and use to make their deductions about what had happened. Dressed in full forensic suits and goggles, they used tweezers, swabs and torches from their kits.

She said the workshops tick so many boxes in the curriculum: “It covers crime prevention, showing that if you go down that path of crime, you will get caught. But we also talked about internet safety and social media, history, English citizenship, DNA and ethnicity, as well as raising aspirations to get involved in science and STEM subjects.”

Year Six teacher Becky Hill said: “It is a fantastic opportunity and fits in with our science curriculum as well as the safety side.

"The children loved dressing up and it has been amazing fun.”

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