In June, Chemistry pupils from Oundle took part in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, an annual competition launched by the University in 2011 to coincide with the International Year of Chemistry.
Kadi Sun (F) achieved an Roentgenium Award, (named after the element below gold in the Periodic Table), given to the top 0.78% of over 7000 entrants, with the highest mark being 65 out of a possible 68.
In addition, four Oundle pupils; Rebecca Siddall (L), James Clayton (L), Arthur Thomson (StA) and Kimi Xie (C) all received Gold Awards, placing them in the top 7% of the highly able cohort who sat this paper. Five pupils achieved Silver Awards and twelve pupils achieved Copper Awards.
The pupils all sat a 90 minute written exam designed for UK pupils in the Lower Sixth or below. Entrants who did well in the competition were sent certificates of achievement, and those who gained the top award won an invitation to a residential course at the University of Cambridge at the end of August.
As a top performer, Kadi was among 26 A-level pupils who took part in the residential chemistry course at St Catherine’s College, where he spent a weekend in the labs of the University’s Chemistry Department on Lensfield Road, attending lectures and practicals, as well as getting an insight into life as a student at the University of Cambridge.