Three Year 13 students from Redmaids’ High School have won a National Award at the British Physics Olympiad Awards. Their investigation in the Experimental Project category had already won a gold award earlier in the year for its exceptional standard, an accomplishment only achieved by a small percentage of submissions.
They then attended the prestigious Royal Society in London, where their entry was recognised as the winning project nationally.
The Experimental Project supports practical physics for students in schools. It encourages students to work together to plan and undertake open-ended experiments and independent research and communicate their findings.
Catherine, Daisy and Sarah investigated the motion of a slinky under gravity. Their findings showed that the upward force on the bottom slinky ring would have to be the same magnitude as gravity. To prove this, they analysed the fall of the slinky, including the displacement, speed and acceleration.
The students reflected on their experience, saying, “It was an amazing opportunity to participate in this renowned competition. The Physics Department at Redmaids’ High is so supportive, and this project enabled us to apply concepts we’ve learnt in the classroom and develop our ideas.
“We’ve worked hard over the past six months and were thrilled to receive the news that we’d won a gold award earlier in the year. To be invited to the Royal Society and learn we’d won the overall national award was incredible, an experience we’ll never forget!”
Mr Frohlich, Head of Physics at Redmaids’ High, accompanied the students to the Royal Society. Commenting on this extraordinary achievement. “I cannot express how huge an honour it is to be invited to the Royal Society,” he said. “It would be the crowning achievement of any scientific career. I am thrilled that their hard work and love for physics have been recognised in such a special way. They truly deserve it.”
Mr Dwyer, Head of Redmaids’ High, congratulated the students in a whole school assembly this morning and commented, “As a school, we are incredibly proud of Catherine, Daisy and Sarah. This award is testament to their hard work, enthusiasm and commitment to the project. A well-deserved accolade.”