Fourth Form pupils also enjoyed an Academic Evening with Mrs Sarah Ramsay, which focused on the brain and gave insights into its function and how neurological disorders can arise. The brain dissection was especially well received and sparked much excitement in the lab. During the Spring Term, 32 Upper College biologists took part in the annual British Biology Olympiad, organised by the Royal Society of Biology to stretch participants beyond the A Level syllabus. More than 6,000 students from schools and colleges across the UK take part in the competition and Aiko Fukuda (L6, Ch) and Guy Beynon (U6, Xt) both achieved silver medals by scoring in the top 15% nationally, whilst Anne-Marie Bowring (U6, Q), Sam Mendis (L6, Xt), Douglas Spencer (U6, S) and Georgina Hacker (U6, Ch) all achieved bronze medals. In addition, we had a record number of certificates with 10 students being awarded highly commended and 11, commended. In addition, our Fourth Form pupils took part in the Society of Biology’s ‘Biology Challenge’ competition. With seven gold, eight silver and 13 bronze awards and 15 highly commended and 21 commended, they achieved outstanding results!
In May the Pallister Library hosted a visit from Bristol Zoo, with pupils getting ‘hands-on’ with tortoises, rats and cockroaches in order to discuss the importance of conservation. Bristol Zoo impressively runs 75 endangered species programmes, allowing visitors to appreciate the importance of ex situ conservation. Our Third Form pupils undertook a Crime Scene Investigation‑style project to solve a crime using a combination of fingerprint technology, investigations into the soil content on trainers and pollen grain and hair analysis. The event allowed pupils to appreciate the wider uses of Biology, and generated much interest. With prospective pupils extracting their DNA and capturing it in a DNA necklace to take home, the Department also contributed to the highly successful 24Hours event. The year came to a close with Upper College students who are planning to read degrees in Biological Science subjects heading to the Science Museum in London to gain an insight into where their degree could take them and give them added enthusiasm for their Independent Projects and EPQs. What a wonderful way to end this successful year!
Miss Charlotte Knowles
Chemistry
The Chemistry Department celebrated another excellent set of Lower Sixth form results in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge Competition. The demanding written paper explores chemical content in context, and stretches the pupils well beyond the confines of the exam specification. Patrick Payne (U6, S) won a gold award, and Ethan Dowling-Membrado (U6, L), Alexander Grutter (U6, Xt) and Jacqueline Nussbaum-Lapping (U6, A) were awarded silver. This puts them in the top 15% nationally of an already select group of Year 12 students. The Department also had 12 others receive copper awards. Such academic achievements contribute significantly to our efforts to propel students to good university places, and we are hoping to see similar academic success with the current Lower Sixth cohort. Whilst the Department did not have any success for Chemistry at Oxbridge, we do have students with offers from other top universities: Patrick Payne (U6, S) to read Chemistry at Durham University; Toon Luanguthai (U6, NH) and Alexander Grutter (U6, Xt) to read Chemical Engineering at Imperial College, London; and Aiym Kopbayeva (U6, W) to read Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at University College London. This year also saw the return of the Chemistry Olympiad following a three-year hiatus and we had a number of successes, with a silver award for Jacqueline Nussbaum-Lapping (U6, A). Having been awarded silver in the Olympiad in Lower Sixth, Chuen Leik Low (L6, Xt) is deserving of a special mention; we look forward to seeing his performance in the Upper Sixth. Our second year in the newly refurbished Department has seen many further improvements. The Department is now the proud owner of six branded periodic tables for teaching, which are certainly wonderful additions to our fresh new laboratories. We have also seen further changes in the curriculum with the re-introduction of linear A Levels and the removal of the practical assessments. The Chemistry staff and pupils have certainly enjoyed the ‘freedom’ from exams in the Lower Sixth and we are looking forward to seeing the first cohort perform in Summer 2017. GCSE reform is also on the horizon, and from September the Department will be teaching a new IGCSE
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The Cheltonian 2015-2016
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