Yarm School Students Excel in Physics Competition

Two Yarm School students have achieved Gold awards in the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) Senior Challenge.

Seventeen-year-old Rebecca Keetley and sixteen-year-old Abhinav Ramisetty, both in Lower Sixth, placed in the top 15% out of more than 5,000 students, with 380 schools from around the world taking part.

Due to COVID restrictions students took the challenge online and tackled the 40-question paper which increased in difficulty to test the most able physics students. The BPhO aims to encourage the study of physics and to recognise excellence in young physicists through ten annual physics competitions.

Rebecca said: “To receive a Gold award in the BPhO Senior Challenge feels amazing, I’m so proud. Throughout lockdown, I have focussed my time on participating in extracurricular activities that will really test my knowledge.”

Abhinav said: “Like Rebecca, I have been spending lots of time taking part in online competitions and events in my favourite subjects. I feel very proud to have achieved such high scores and to broaden my knowledge even further.”

Ian Burns, Head of Physics at Yarm said: “Encouraging our students to participate in extra-curricular activities is very important to us. It builds their self-confidence and life skills that will stand them in good stead in their future careers, whatever they may be.

Both Rebecca and Abhinav have done incredibly well to have achieved Gold awards in the BPhO Senior Challenge and they should be very proud of themselves.”