Birchwood High School students bound for Oxford University after starring in British Physics Olympiad

Two Birchwood High School students have struck gold in the British Physics Olympiad and are heading for Oxford University.

Year 13 duo William Blakey and Alex Sawyer were encouraged by the Parsonage Lane secondary's physics A-level teacher, Thomas William-Powlett, to enter the test for the best young physicists in the country.

They were up against 5,000 other British and international young scientists. Both achieved a gold in the paper, placing them in the top 20% in the world.

William's result was among the very best in the cohort and he was awarded a top gold and invited to try out for the British Physics Olympiad team with an even more fiendishly difficult paper.

A week after receiving the results, both boys found out they had received offers from Oxford to study physics, subject to their grades in this summer's exams.

Mr William-Powlett said: "With students of this ability it is more a case of inspiring them to seek out new information than help them understand the course content.

"William and Alex are always keen to know more about the world and have happily attended extra lessons where we have covered all of the optional units in the A-level as well as exploring subjects that are outside of the curriculum such as general relativity. Both boys thoroughly deserve their success."

School principal Dr Chris Ingate said: "I remember interviewing William and Alex when they were in Year 11 for a place in the sixth form. Something struck me at the time about their quiet, understated talent and absolute fascination with physics. It's great to see them pursuing their dreams. They will be stars of the future."