Hartlepool pupils to chat with astronaut Tim Peake live from space

Year 5 pupils from Golden Flatts Primary School will take part in a live chat with spaceman Tim Peake.

Children from Golden Flatts Primary School, in Seaton Lane, are today travelling to the World Museum, in Liverpool, to speak directly to astronaut Major Tim Peake.

He will be chatting to the students live from the International Space Station (ISS).

Headteacher Sue Sharpe and Year 5 pupil Chloe Gale holding a photograph of British astronaut Tim Peake.

The Year 5 pupils were one of 11 classes chosen from schools around the country to take part in the special event.

Headteacher Sue Sharpe said: “We are absolutely delighted that the school has been chosen to take part, we are all very excited.

“Our Year 5 class have been really inspired by Tim and have been keenly following his journey. It has been a brilliant way to get children enthused about science.”

The event will see classrooms around the UK linked up live with Tim as he demonstrated a number of science activities from the ISS, which students will then be able to copy.

Tim will also be answering some of the thousands of questions submitted by students, giving them an insight into life on board the space station.

Golden Flatts pupil Chloe Gale has been chosen to represent her class.

Year 5 teacher Holly Stamp said: “The children are all very excited, they have been since we found out we’d be going to Liverpool.

“We’ve been watching Tim Peake closely.

“We watched him do his space walk and we’ve been learning all about his life so the children could figure out what to ask him.

“They all submitted a question and Chloe was chosen to ask hers while we’re there. She’s going to ask him why there’s no gravity in space.

“I think we’re one of 11 classes who’ve been chosen to go along so it’s a big honour for the school and we’re all very excited.”

The 300 pupils invited to the World Museum will speak directly to Tim before spending the day learning more about space and the Prinicpia mission through the Destination Space programme.

Destination Space is a two-year programme funded by the UK Space Agency which aims to inspire young minds with the wonders of human spaceflight and the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematical skills that make spaceflight possible.

This will be Tim Peake’s only mass participation internet event with school children while on board the ISS.