Cambridge Chemistry Race
A team of five students, comprising one Year 13 student and four Year 12 students, along
with the Head of Chemistry, embarked on a journey to Cambridge University Yusuf Hamied
Department of Chemistry to participate in the Cambridge Chemistry Race. Entry into this
prestigious competition – which also takes place at the University of Oxford – is highly sought
after every year, making securing a spot a remarkable achievement. This esteemed event
provided an opportunity for these budding chemists to showcase their skills and knowledge,
and they certainly did not disappoint.
Teams of between three and five Sixth Form students engaged in a real-time challenge to
solve chemistry-related problems. The objective was to answer as many questions as
possible within the two-hour time frame. Upon successfully answering a question, teams
were presented with a new one, and a live leaderboard keeps track of their progress. Thirty
minutes before the race concluded, the rankings were concealed, and the final winners were
revealed during the closing ceremony. The questions posed during the competition vary in
difficulty, ranging from simple riddles to A Level tasks and intricate chemical problems.
Participants are allowed to refer to books, notes, or any other written material, as the focus is
primarily on assessing problem-solving abilities and chemical comprehension rather than
mere knowledge.
Out of the 60 teams in attendance, SWPS Chemistry achieved a commendable joint 46th
position. This outcome is particularly impressive considering that four team members are in
Year 12, giving them one year less of Chemistry knowledge compared to the predominantly
Year 13 teams. In a delightful twist, Maria, a SWPS Alumnae who had represented SWPS
last year in the competition, was among the examiners. Congratulations to our budding
Chemists for taking part.
