Student success in the RSC Chemistry Olympiad

Bosworth Independent School A-level students Jim and Harry have gained the highest award – Gold Certificate in the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Olympiad. A further 11 students received Silver and Bronze awards, which is a tremendous academic achievement.

Hosted annually, the Chemistry Olympiad is a leading chemistry competition in the UK, expanding student’s knowledge and the development of their talents in chemistry-related fields. The bespoke challenges enable students to test their academic potential in new scenarios and situations. The Olympiad culminates in students being proudly rewarded with publicly recognised certificates and a chance to represent the UK in the prestigious International Olympiad. This year, the competition invited and celebrated 9182 students from 782 schools.

James, who is aiming to study Medicine at University, has now successfully received offers from University of Sheffield and University of Plymouth, and was pleasantly surprised by his performance (Silver Certificate) in the Chemistry Olympiad: “Whilst I didn’t do any formal preparation for the Olympiad, I would say that the excellent teaching provided by my teachers alongside my ongoing work towards my A-levels left me in a strong position with a good grasp of Chemistry in the exam. I was pleased to receive the Silver award”. Mrs M Johnstone, Head of A-level Science, said: “Every year our students do not fail to impress in their willingness to make the extra effort and take part in the RSC Chemistry Olympiad. They have a thirst for knowledge and enjoy stretching themselves to answer university-level questions. It is impressive to see their joy of learning”. Harry (Gold), who has offers from UCL, University of York and University of Warwick to study Biochemistry shared with us: “Teachers at Bosworth Independent School are helpful, they always try to answer the questions that their students have. Teachers help by presenting complex concepts in a way that is very easy to understand and give very in-depth explanations about organic chemistry, which adds to the depth of my knowledge. This is important as I wish to pursue a Biochemistry course in UCL, a course that requires a heavy knowledge base of organic chemistry.”

A final selection of up to thirty students will now compete in the second round, a residential weekend provided by the University of Cambridge incorporating a selection of lessons, lectures and workshops, as well as some theoretical and practical tests.

Other notable students are Christine (Bronze), who has offers from the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex to study Medicine; Jakub (Silver), has offers from University of Nottingham and University of Manchester to study Pharmacy; Justas (Bronze), has offers from Cardiff University and University of Warwick to study Biochemistry; Dominykas (Silver), has offers from University of Bath and Oxford Brookes University to study Criminology.

Oxbridge, medical schools and highly competitive universities are looking for candidates who have dedication, initiative, persistence and the ability to communicate well. While the process may seem challenging, the result will be a rewarding career in a highly competitive field.