Boys think their way to the top in computing challenge 

Tonbridge boys had to put their thinking caps on when they took part in a national competition designed to test their problem-solving skills.

All First Year boys, as well as those studying Computer Science for GCSE, took part in the National Computational Thinking Competition. This annual event, run by an organisation called Bebras, is designed to get students excited about computing and attracts more than 250,000 entrants each year.

Pupils tackle fun and engaging challenges online, which require logical thinking to solve and are based on problems that computer scientists often encounter.

In an impressive performance, 82 Tonbridge boys came in the top 10 per cent of all entrants. Two boys, Isaac King (CH1) and James Hii (HS3), scored the top mark in the county in their respective age-groups.

James, pictured, was one of the ‘top 60’ students in the UK in his age category and has been invited to the national final in February, taking place at the University of Oxford’s Department of Computer Science. 

Paul Huxley, the school’s Head of Digital Creativity, said: “I was delighted to see that the boys rose to the challenge and performed so well, especially under time pressure. It was a valuable experience for everyone who took part, and our scores reflect the boys’ talent and potential in Computer Science.” 

The boys’ achievements in the competition will also be recognised in the school’s forthcoming Presentation Assembly.

Picture: James with his Bebras Challenge certificate for ‘Best in School’.