Newport school wins chemistry competition

A team of pupils from Adams Grammar School took part in the regional round of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Top of the Bench competition at Keele University.

The pupils, aged between 13 and 16, took part in the competition which aims to encourage youngsters to consider further education and careers with chemistry.

Adams Grammar entered two teams and took home both first and second place with the second placed team scoring 68 points, which made them clear of their nearest rival from Newcastle-under-Lyme in third with 50 points.

The top prize, and qualification for the national finals, however went to the Shropshire school's team, known as Team Hydrogen, who won with 71 points.

Year nine pupil Akram Nazir said the competition was great way to try new techniques.

He said: "It's great to have the opportunity to use new equipment and try techniques that we wouldn't get to do at school.

"It gave me a great insight into what a career in chemistry could mean."

The team will now prepare for the final to be held at Loughborough University in April.

They will be assisted in their preparations by Year 11 pupil, Adarsh Menon, part of the third placed team at the national final two years ago.

He has been working with the Chemistry staff to help prepare pupils for the regional round and will have further insight into the challenges they will face in the final.