News Forensic Chemistry: Students Solve Crimes in Royal Society of Chemistry Schools’ Analyst Competition 12.05.2026

On Wednesday 6 May, Godolphin and Latymer welcomed students from Kensington Aldridge Academy and Grey Coat Hospital School to compete in the first session of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Schools’ Analyst Competition. Over the course of three sessions, fifteen teams of three students will complete a range of practical methods including back titrations, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and gravimetric analysis to solve a suspicious poisoning at a pharmacy…!

In the first session, our students analysed a sample of coffee to determine the caffeine content and discover whether it had been tampered with – the pharmacist had a weak heart! In the second session, they will investigate a lipstick stain on the pharmacist’s collar and compare it to a range of known brands to further narrow in on the culprit. Finally, they will investigate a range of moisturizers found near the victim to try and discover the truth of the crime.

Our students are not only competing against students from our visiting schools but also against 500 competing schools in seven different regional sub-competitions. Fingers crossed our girls can solve the crime and bring home the prize.