Zips, zooms and whooshes filled the playing fields at Great Yarmouth High School today when excited pupils let off some classroom-built rockets.

Eastern Daily Press: Great Yarmouth High School students taking part in National Science and Engineering Week by building powerful bottle rockets and launching them.Picture: James BassGreat Yarmouth High School students taking part in National Science and Engineering Week by building powerful bottle rockets and launching them.Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2014)

Year 7 students spent the day building their sleek-looking craft before heading outside for blast off - with some racing to more than 1,000 feet in the air.

The high-altitude fun was part of a range of activities being held at the school to mark National Science and Engineering Week.

And youngsters were enthralled by the physics of building and making their own rockets.

The excited pupils spent the day with Starchasers, a national organisation that runs education programmes in schools, which brought a life-sized retired space rocket along as part of the activities.

Pupils began by taking part in talks and a question and answer session, which covered rockets and space travel, before hunkering down to design their own spacecraft, which were all equipped with parachutes to bring them safely back down to Earth.

They were then joined by parents in Beaconsfield Park for the grand launch.

Wendy Miller, pastoral manager for Year 7, said: 'I have never seen the pupils so engaged and focussed on an activity in school. It is just amazing.'

The week of activities began on Thursday when Year 10 students spent the day working with scientists at the University of East Anglia, sampling a range of science-based careers including geology, sports physiotherapy, applications of maths in science and robotics.

Students also took part in a workshop on preparing for university life, which made many reconsider remaining in full time study after college.

And the science fun will continue on Thursday when Year 8 pupils will spend time with staff and animals from Banham Zoo, learning about animal husbandry and careers based in this field, and on Friday when Year 9 students will complete a community garden challenge.

The project will see pupils design their own gardens applying a range of scientific concepts and will earn them a Crest Discovery Award, presented by the British Science Association.