Physics Challenges

Sixth Form Physicists have been extending their problem-solving skills beyond the curriculum in various national challenges.

The British Physics Olympiad runs a host of competitions each year to encourage the study of Physics and to recognise excellence in young Physicists. Four Lower Sixth A Level students – Chiara, Erin, Rosie and Sahar – entered this year’s Experimental Project: a practical, team challenge to solve an interesting problem. Together they designed an experiment to accurately measure how high a tennis ball can go when dropped in a gravity slingshot setting, using common household and school equipment to devise a creative stripe pattern to track its motion.

Some of our Upper Sixth A Level students entered round one of this year’s Olympiad – a paper of hard Physics problems which require incredible skill, ability and determination.  Typically, about three and a half thousand students participate nationally, with only the top 25% awarded medals. Many congratulations to Talia and Hana, who won Bronze and Silver awards respectively, and plan to study Natural Sciences and Maths at university next year.