2nd April 2013    - Press Release

Four students from Austin Friars St Monica’s School will represent Cumbria in the National Final of the “Top of the Bench” competition which this year will be held at Loughborough University. 

The Austin Friars St Monica’s School team, who were crowned Cumbrian champions after winning the regional “Top of the Bench” Chemistry competition in December, will be travelling to Loughborough University, in early April where they will compete against teams from 30 other regions. 

“Top of the Bench” is a national competition which is run by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). It pits teams of the best 14-16 year olds in the country against each other in a competition which tests their practical skills and chemical knowledge beyond the Chemistry GCSE syllabus. 

Each team comprises of pupils from years 9-11. The Austin Friars St Monica’s team consisting of Kathryn Orr, John Colwell, Robbie Ewart and Jake Kirkpatrick are confident going into the final after beating other Schools from across Cumbria, including West Lakes Academy and St Bees.   

Mrs Rosie Fielder, is the Head of Chemistry at the School. She said “This was an ideal opportunity for the students to stretch themselves beyond the syllabus and meet other like-minded pupils in a friendly, but competitive environment.” 

The winners of the competition will be crowned National Champions and will receive a trophy and a cheque for the School to spend on new Chemistry equipment. 

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For more details please contact:

Andrew Hullock

Marketing Administrator

Tel: 01228 550 719 email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Notes to editor

Austin Friars St Monica’s School is the independent day school for girls and boys aged 3-18 years in the centre of Carlisle.  The School has a strong reputation in Cumbria and South West Scotland for providing an all-round, high quality education that meets the individual needs of each child.

Academic achievement and strong pastoral care are at the heart of what we do.  Focusing on a traditional form of education, every pupil at Austin Friars St Monica’s is also encouraged to take part fully in the all-round life of the School with an extensive range of extra curricular activities available.

If you want further information on what we provide, please go to our website at www.austinfriars.cumbria.sch.uk