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Top of the Bench
Fuel your students’ curiosity and represent your secondary school at our annual chemistry competition
Top of the Bench is for every secondary school in the UK. And for every 14–16 year old.
With the help of our members, we’ve been organising and running this annual competition for more than 20 years. As a result, hundreds of students have had the chance to see chemistry in a new light, and put practical and teamworking skills into action.
Heats take place from October to January. We’d love your school to join in.
Who can take part?
Top of the Bench is designed to inspire excitement about chemistry in your students – whoever they are, wherever their skills currently lie.
The competition is open to every secondary school in the UK. The only criteria: students must be aged 14–16 to take part, and your team of four should reflect your school’s gender balance.
| Country | Team composition |
|---|---|
| England and Wales |
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| Scotland |
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| Northern Ireland |
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How does the competition work?
Regional heats
Run from October to January, our regional heats are organised and funded by Royal Society of Chemistry local sections .
The heats are set up to have broad appeal and are fully accessible. Past challenges have included practical tasks, written theory tests, and team missions to prove safety, problem solving and general chemistry knowledge.
Students also get to meet some of our members at the heats, and talk to them about careers in chemistry. The aim of this is to show that pursuing a love of science is possible, whoever you are.
The winning team from each heat will progress to a national final.
The final
The national final is held in the spring each year and takes place at a UK university.
Activities on the day include:
- An individual test of factual chemical knowledge
- A team practical exercise
- An interactive lecture
- A prize giving ceremony
The day includes a session for teachers, in which you’ll explore resources and ideas for the classroom with one of our education coordinators.
First prize is awarded to the best overall school performance, with five further teams receiving runners up prizes. The Jacqui Clee Award is given to the student who makes an outstanding individual contribution to the day.
How to enter
To apply to take part, please get in touch with your local RSC section.
What are local sections?
RSC local sections are run by volunteers, and help to coordinate events and networks in a particular area. There are 34 local sections covering different parts of the UK and Ireland.
Top of the Bench past papers
Use these past papers and answers to practise working through real questions from the Top of the Bench competition.
Latest news
Brighton College is Top of the Bench
Winners and runners-up announced in the RSC’s 2024 Top of the Bench competition
Highlights from the 2023 competition
Take a look at what participants got up to during 2023’s final at the University of East London.
Need help?
If you have any questions about the competition or our supporting resources, send us an email.
If there are any barriers to your school being able to take part, such as travel costs, let us know, as we may be able to help.