We are delighted to celebrate the achievements of our Year 13 students who recently took part in the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) Physics Challenge.

The Physics Challenge is a gruelling 60-minute written paper that demands deep conceptual understanding, mathematical fluency, and clear scientific reasoning. Questions are deliberately stretching, often unfamiliar in style, and reward perseverance and structured problem-solving rather than rote techniques.

To give a sense of the level, students were asked questions such as:

“How many atoms are there in your body, to the nearest power of ten?”
and
“Using small-angle approximations, show that the focal length of a curved mirror is half its radius of curvature.”

This is physics that requires careful thinking, estimation, diagramming and the ability to explain reasoning clearly under time pressure.

Participation Awards were achieved by Aaku B, Ryan W, Daniel J, and Amber L, reflecting strong commitment and resilience in tackling this demanding paper.
Merit Awards were earned by Minju C and GuiChai T, an excellent achievement in a competition designed to challenge some of the strongest physics students nationally.

We also wish to offer special congratulations to Kaka S, who achieved a Gold Medal in the Senior Physics Challenge Online Competition. This competition is aimed at Year 12 students, making Kaka’s success all the more impressive as a Year 11 student competing well above age expectations.

Well done to all students involved; these results reflect not only academic ability, but determination, curiosity, and a willingness to engage with genuinely challenging physics.