In late June the Royal Society of Chemistry organised a Five-decade exam challenge, inviting the most able Year 11 Chemistry students from across the nation to a paper made up from O Level and GCSE Chemistry questions taken from the last 50 years.
The organisers noted that it was 'an extremely difficult exam, set to stretch even the brightest of young Chemists'.
Well over 1000 scripts were received and it is to the great credit of the 4 High School boys who were entered that they all achieved marks within the top 15% nationally and were awarded certificates to recognise their success.
Simon Berry and George Bignall both scored marks which placed them in the top 50 across the UK. Well done to Simon and George, Alex McDonald and Vivek Chidambaram.
The press release regarding the exam read as follows:
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is to run a unique on-line examination next month to see how ready today's 16-year-olds are to address the science-based issues facing the world of their future, which will place increased priority on energy provision, the environment, health, food, water and materials.
The innovative feature of this competitive exam is that its questions will be drawn from the hundreds of GCSE and O-level papers in chemistry from the last five decades.
Announcing the competition today Richard Pike, chief executive of the RSC, said:
"In the past, there was a strong analytical or logical element in the examination of science, with less on the overall context. Today, by contrast, the emphasis is on a wide range of topical issues, with limited demands for complex problem-solving."
"Employers in industry, academia and the wider business community tell us they want the best of both worlds. They, too, no doubt will be interested in the outcome of the competition, which should be an exciting challenge for young scientists."
First prize will be a cheque for £1,000, and the next nine students will receive £500. Similar sums will go to the chemistry departments of the schools of these winners. Certificates will also be awarded to the top ten students.
Almost 5000 secondary schools in the UK have been contacted, and asked to nominate students to sit a two-hour examination from their classrooms on Friday, 27 June.
Dr Pike added: "I have no doubt that the best candidates will be very successful. Our reason for running this competition is to draw attention to the fact that, in an increasingly complex world, the rigour of analytical thinking, combined with breadth of knowledge, becomes even more important.'
"Without the sound analytical basis of science, big policy decisions can lead to big mistakes. Conversely, the right grounding will provide great opportunities for individuals and companies in a highly competitive world.
"Prospective changes in UK science education must address these skills needs."
Click
here for the link to the RSC webpage giving information and example questions.
