News
12-July-2006 - LGC promotes science in schools with competition
in proficiency testing
North-west school wins 2006 award
Queen Elizabeth´s Grammar School, Blackburn, has won this year’s
national competition in the field of chemical analysis. The
competition, run by LGC in conjunction with Nuffield Curriculum
Centre, takes the form of a proficiency test, similar to that used
in industry to assess the competence of professional analysts.
Fourteen A-level students studying chemistry at Queen
Elizabeth’s Grammar School entered the competition, which involved
1700 students from 97 state and independent schools and colleges
across the UK. The participants had to carry out experiments to
measure concentrations of ethanoic acid, which is used in
photographic materials and was supplied by Kodak Ltd Analytical
Laboratories for the competition. The results were then sent to LGC
to be analysed and scored using a ‘Z score’ which represents the
accuracy of an individual result against the agreed value.
The competition was funded by the DTI´s (Department of Trade and
Industry)
Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) programme. Each student will
receive a certificate and the school will be awarded a cheque for
£200 in a presentation to the school in September by Vicki Barwick,
Education and Training manager at LGC.
Vicki Barwick, LGC, commented: “The students at Queen
Elizabeth’s Grammar School produced very accurate results from
their experimental work and received excellent marks for their
written work.”
Notes to Editors