Harrogate school says it's proud of eight-year-old pupil Jessica for flying the flag for women in science

Such is the enthusiasm and early knowledge shown by Jessica Essen, who attends Ashville Prep School in Harrogate, she independently carried out 20 home science experiments.

As a result, this young member of the School’s Gifted and Talented programme received praise from by the independent school's head.

“We are really proud of Jessica who has a love of Science and Maths, and is on our Gifted and Talented programme," said Asa Firth.

“Jessica is being mentored by both her mother and Miss Sawyer. Even at this young age she is flying the flag for women in science.

"At the age of eight she has her sights set on becoming a scientist.

"I have no doubts in her ability in achieving this career goal,” added the school head.

One of Jessica’s home science experiments was to look at a non-Newtonian fluid.

This is a fluid which does not follow Newton's law of viscosity, in that viscosity can increase in liquidity or solidity when under force.

The talented Jessica’s experiment involved cornflour and water.

She then harnessed the features of the school’s interactive parent communication app, Seesaw, to share her activities with Ashville's lead on Science, Helen Sawyer.

Jessica, who is in Year 3, said: “Science is my favourite subject, and the experiments I did were really fun.

"I did a different experiment each day and I have learned a lot of amazing things.”