Physics Olympiad Gold

Following on from Christ’s Hospital’s tremendous success in the British Physics Olympiad last year, 11 of our GR/Year 13 physicists took up the challenge again this year to sit the UK’s most formidable school physics competition.

Not only did all the CH pupils receive commendations or medal awards, but two pupils achieved gold awards (Akine and Keishi), while one, Brandon (pictured in the middle of the second row) achieved the school’s second successive Top Gold, placing him in the top 190 entrants worldwide. A further six pupils (Enoch, Jimmy, Nathanael, Stephanie, Matthew and Jimmy) achieved bronze awards and the remaining two (Timothy and Joshua) were commended.

‘The Physics Department is exceptionally proud of all the Grecian pupils this year who have developed their physics through entering the British Physics Olympiad,’ said Craig Donoghue, Head of Physics. ‘Brandon’s Top Gold award is an incredible achievement for him, and places him amongst the very best school physicists in the world. We look forward to our Deputy Grecian (Year 12) pupils taking part in the Senior Physics Challenges later this term and working towards their own Olympiad papers in November. Maybe we can make it three Top Gold awards in a row!’

This year, more than 5,300 students from around the world took part in the first round of the Olympiad, with 2,830 of those in Year 13 being from UK schools. The papers are designed to challenge a range of student knowledge, preparation and ability, and stretch well beyond the school curriculum. Fluency in recognising topics and linking ideas is, in part, what develops a physicist’s confidence and mastery, and the problems, extremely difficult in nature, are significant tests of problem-solving ability and reasoning, along with application of mathematical skill. Simply entering and sitting the papers is indicative of an alacrity for physics, learning, and academic motivation.