Top in the UK: Boys top the rankings at international Physics contest

Two teams of Tonbridge boys – one from the Upper Sixth, one from the Lower Sixth – have been named as ‘Top in the UK’ after taking part in the International Physics Brawl.

Nearly 200 teams, from schools across the world, competed in this annual online event which tests Physics knowledge and problem-solving skills. Each team, of either four or five members, is set the challenge of answering a series of questions under time pressure.

A total of eight teams from the School, made up of 36 Upper and Lower Sixth boys, took part in this year’s contest.

Two teams were placed first in the UK for Year 12 and Year 13 students, respectively. The Upper Sixth winning team was also ranked 34th out of 188 in the world, placing the boys among the top fifth worldwide in their age category.

The International Physics Brawl is organised by Charles University, a renowned institution in the Czech Republic. The Tonbridge teams competed in the School’s state-of-the-art, RIBA Award-winning Barton Science Centre.

Chris Powell, Head of Physics, said: “Well done to all those who took part. I am very proud of all the boys for taking on the challenge and performing so well.

“The calibre of the questions would not be out of place at university level, and the results show our boys’ ability to successfully apply their classroom learning to an advanced, competitive setting such as this.”