Excellence in Higher Chemistry

Congratulations to Siri (S6), who received the Educational Award for Excellence in Higher Chemistry by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Siri, along with her family and her Chemistry Teacher, Dr Smith, attended the 24th Science and the Parliament Awards Ceremony in Edinburgh recently, to celebrate her achievement.

This years’ event focused on the future of STEM in Scotland and included a programme of keynote speakers and panel sessions, to foster close relations with policymakers and key stakeholders.

Keynote speaker and Society’s president, Dr Annette Doherty OBE HonFBPhS FRSC, presented Siri with her Award, following the SQA jointly awarding her the top mark in the Higher Chemistry examination – only two candidates out of the 9,902 who sat the examination in 2024.

Of Siri’s success, Dr Smith said:

“I am delighted Siri has been recognised with the Educational Award for Excellence in Higher Chemistry. I first met Siri when she arrived for her very first Chemistry lesson in S1. Although quite shy back then, she soon grew in confidence, with the whole class benefitting from her involvement in class discussion. During her Higher year, her in depth understanding of the subject was evident, and the evaluation of her Higher assignment data was exceptional, showing insights beyond her years. I was honoured and proud to attend with Siri to celebrate her achievement.”

The presentations were preceded with a day of lectures and discussion on how to promote STEM subjects across Scotland in schools and further education.

It was an incredible opportunity to meet leading scientific societies, professional bodies and universities, to network with colleagues from across the sector and celebrate young achievers. Congratulations to Siri on her outstanding achievement.