The RSC would like to thank schools and pupils for taking part in the Five-Decade Exam Challenge on Friday 27th June and for the support that everyone has shown for this project. Nearly 2000 pupils took part in the challenge.

Teachers and students who have contacted us say how much they enjoyed challenge and are looking forward to hearing the results.

Some candidates did experience technical difficulties with the online examination and they were able to use a paper back-up at the time of the problem. The good news is that the results which were entered up-to-that point have all been recorded and saved on-line.

So we can mark the remainder of the exams quickly, please could schools help us by doing the following:

1. Please ensure that the school and candidate names are clearly marked on the front of each paper, and carefully note the times the candidates took in completing the exam

2. Please photocopy your candidates' manuscripts and keep the copy for your records

3. Post the originals from your school in one envelope [or if you need to use more than one envelope mark the outside 1 of 2 or 2 of 2 etc]

4. Post the originals using first class mail by the end of Monday 30 June to:

Sheena Elliott, 
Chemistry Challenge
Royal Society of Chemistry
Burlington House
Piccadilly, London W1J 0BA

We appreciate all the effort made by both schools and students in taking part. All candidates will receive a certificate to congratulate them completing the 5-Decade Challenge.

We hope to release the results by 7 July. First prize will be a cheque for £1,000, and the next nine students will receive £500. Similar sums will go to the chemistry departments of these ten candidates.

Thanks once again to all who took part, and we look forward to receiving the manuscripts. 

Competition rules and guidelines

• The competition will consist of a two-hour online examination.
  
• The examination will be available via the RSC website on the day of the exam.
  
• Candidates must be from a school in the UK and aged 16 or under on 31 August 2008 to take part.
  
• Candidates will be expected to work individually from school computers, under supervision, from 12 noon to 2 pm on the day of the competition.
  
• Schools should keep a hard copy of each candidate's analytical working and answers; this may be required as proof of the winning candidate's own work. Schools may also be asked to confirm they believe there has been 'fair-play' from the winning candidates. We therefore request a representative of the school supplies a contact name and details which we will be able to use during the first two weeks of July 2008. 
  
• We will not disclose any individual results and ensure anonymity for all students taking part except for the top-scoring students who we would like to publically congratulate in the media, alongside their teachers. We ask that schools ensure that teachers, students, and parents, if appropriate, are happy with this arrangement.    

Winners

The answers to the questions have been provided by a group of prominent chemists and the competition entries shall be marked and prize winners shall be determined accordingly. All decisions of the Royal Society of Chemistry shall be final and no correspondence or discussion shall be entered into.

Liability

The Royal Society of Chemistry cannot accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, injury or disappointment suffered by any entrant entering the competition. The Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any computer on-line systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment or software, failure of any email or entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, at any web site, or any combination of these, including any injury or damage to the school's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in the competition.

Data Protection and Publicity

Winners may be requested to take part in promotional activity and the Royal Society of Chemistry shall contact the school with regards to the use of the names and the school of winners and their photographs of them in any publicity.

Any personal data relating to entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the individual's prior consent.