Writes Jack Talboys, Head of Chemistry
On Wednesday 12th November, seven Middle School teams took part in the RSC’s Top of the Bench Competition run by the local section of the society.
This hotly contested competition saw our pupils compete against nearly one hundred other teams from local schools in a chemistry related quiz. The questions ranged from a fairly simple first round – finding the opposites to key chemical terms – to some complex calculations and challenging chemical purification techniques. One of the competitors, Levin W. (4ths) said that the ‘competition was an enjoyable, curiosity-sparking competition of some of the key topics in Chemistry – it was a great experience and I wish to do it again next year’.
Our pupils competed really well and competitively, with five of our seven teams finishing within the Top Ten! This is a superb achievement. The quiz challenged our pupils to work in multi-year group teams, with people they might have never worked with before.
Shaurjesh B. (Divs) gave his thoughts, “The Top of the Bench Chemistry Quiz was a fantastic experience, full of excitement and genuine challenge. It really tested our knowledge, pushing us beyond simple definitions into deeper problem-solving across various areas of chemistry.”
“The questions from calculating molar masses and tests for various elements required sharp focus, but this level of challenge made the quiz both exciting. What truly made it special, was the chance for teamwork. Sharing those difficult problems spread the pressure among us, making it enjoyable. We realised the importance of combining our strengths, communicating clearly, and supporting each other through tough decisions. The quiz showed that challenging chemistry problems are always more manageable when tackled as a team.”
Well done to all those involved, with special mention to the group from Team 20 of Aarav K, Ishaan N (4ths), Shaurjesh B (Divs) and Ben Y (5ths) with our highest score of 35/47.
The full list of competitors is below:
4ths: Aryan M, Riyen T, Levin W, Agastya K, Aarav K, Lithum A, Devya P, Ranveer K, Avi A, Aariz B, Riyan P-D, Ishaan N, Deiyen H, Jayron S
Divs: Krishaang B, Daniel S, Soumava G, Ethan G, Shaurjesh B, Rohan N, Khush G.
5ths: Armaan D, Manas M, Mufaddal K, Ranvir S, Ben Y, Lucian H, Rohan D.
