Lessons might have been over but that didn’t stop more than 250 children and parents taking part in an after school competition at Rush Green Primary on Friday.

Barking and Dagenham Post: Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School.Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School. (Image: Archant)

The Dagenham Road school was celebrating national science week, with a week of lessons based on the subject.

It culminated in a bridge competition where parents and children were tasked with using newspaper and cellotape to create the strongest design possible.

It was inspired by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the English civil engineer, who built the Great Western Railway.

Organiser Stephen Moon, phase leader for Years 5 and 6, said: “The children really enjoyed the competition as their competitive sides came out and it was also good to get the parents involved.”

Barking and Dagenham Post: Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School.Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School. (Image: Archant)

The joint winners were year two pupil Charlie Whitam and year four pupil Emily McIntyre.

It was the first time that the school had held a competition of this kind or a week of lessons based on science.

Mr Moon said: “The children really enjoyed all the workshops and different things that were going on over the week.”

Barking and Dagenham Post: Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School.Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School. (Image: Archant)

Barking and Dagenham Post: Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School.Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School. (Image: Archant)

Barking and Dagenham Post: Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School.Pupils and parents make the finishing touches to their bridge at a bridge building science project session at Rush Green Primary School. (Image: Archant)