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Posted on: December 1st 2022

Brain Day for Year 12 Psychology

Year 12 Psychology students were in for a treat on Thursday 1st December, which has been over 3 years in the making! They were visited by Dr Sutton, a Neurologist with a wealth of experience, for a ‘Brain Day’ event. Dr Sutton is an expert in his field; until recently he lectured at Nottingham University. He currently works with courts and in the medical field to understand mental health and the impact of the brain on behaviour; and he has worked as a clinical researcher on brain cancer for the British Medical Council.

The students were given an introduction lesson on the brain, taking them all the way from A level content to undergraduate level complexity. They discussed the impact of sleep on brain development, abnormal brain development in foetal development, as well as emerging technologies including the use of organoids in the medical sector. Dr Sutton also used his research to explain the complex link between the brain and criminal behaviour. As well as learning a wealth of knowledge in this field, students witnessed a live sheep brain dissection. They were very happy when they were able to identify parts of the brain that they have learned on their AS Psychology course.

One Year 12 student commented: “I was really excited about the event beforehand and I’m so glad I went! I want to study Psychology with Law at University, so I was particularly interested in the research Dr Sutton discussed in relation to the link between the brain and criminality. I learned loads during the day and made sure to take notes. I went home and told my parents all about the mini brains, called organoids, which are currently used to help study disorders. It’s scary to think how fast technology is moving but it's also amazing how it can be used to benefit society!” We hope this event gave students a flavour of what’s to come at university level. It was a jam packed event but totally worth it - students left more curious than ever and two students have since organised a Psychology club!

Miss S. Arora (Psychology Teacher and Head of Year 12)