Report on the Analytical Division’s 2011 National Schools’ Analyst Competition

Sir John Deane’s College from Northwich in Cheshire won the Analytical Division of the RSC’s National Schools’ Analyst competition held at The University of Reading  on the 20/21 June 2011.  

In addition to the Shield, that the School hold for the year, the School was awarded a prize of £750, together with smaller voucher prizes for the individual competitors.  

Sir John Deane’s College is a 6th form college and it is the first time for a number of years that a State school has come first in the competition. The team is to be congratulated in beating very strong competition from both state and private sector schools. 

The photograph shows the winning team who from left to right were Heather White, their teacher Anne Thomas, David Nicholson  and Jack Hoffmann, holding the shield, after having been presented with their prizes by Dr Derek Stevenson from the University of Surrey, a member of the Analytical Division Council and representing the President in her absence.

As in previous years, accommodation on the University campus was not available and thus the first evening was spent at the IBIS hotel in Reading.  Following the handing out of the experimental details for the following day, the teams were allowed to discuss together their strategies for carrying out the exercises described, before having dinner, which was then followed by a general knowledge quiz.

On the Tuesday morning, teams were transported to the Chemistry Department of the University, to undertake a number of experiments which were set around an interesting chemical technology effluent problem.  The problem was to be solved by a combination of analytical measurements (both qualitative and quantitative) together with careful interpretation of the data provided.  Students were exposed to both classical and instrumental analytical technologies (volumetric analysis, colorimetry & NMR spectroscopy).  

The organisers of the competition, particularly Dr Joanne Elliott, Dr John Baum and Dr David Nutt from the University of Reading, are to be congratulated for devising this interesting analytical problem and thanks also go to the laboratory staff and demonstrators for helping to make the event go so smoothly.  

Following the assessment and examination of the results obtained by the panel of judges, three teams stood out as having achieved both accurate analytical data and correct interpretation of the data’s significance in the light of the additional information provided.  

These three teams were:

• Sir John Deane’s College (the eventual winners)
• Arnold School (who came 2nd)
• North Halifax Grammar School (who came 3rd)

The Competition is sponsored mainly by the Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund with small amounts of money being donated to the final by the Chemical Analysis Facility of the University of Reading and the Thames and Kennet  Regional Group of the Society for Chemical Industry. 

During the 20 heats held throughout the UK, many other companies, too numerous to mention, also provided financial sponsorship to support this national event.  Without their help the costs involved would be too prohibitive and some heats may not have been feasible.  To all of the sponsors, the Analytical Division expresses its gratitude.

The 2012 final will be held at the University of Bristol on 25/26 June.

Brian Woodget
Coordinator for the National Schools’ Analyst Competition