Calculating the maximum velocity of a snail; determining the cardiac output and stroke volume of a trained athlete’s resting heart rate; and working out the correct dating method for rocks and minerals – just a few of the brain busting questions Newington science students will face as they compete in the Australian Science Olympiads (ASO) examinations.

ASO is a staged enrichment program designed to challenge budding scientists in Physics, Biology, Earth and Environmental Science and Chemistry. This week, 16 Year 11 and 12 Newington students will join thousands of other young scientists from all corners of the country as they test their mettle in one or more of these four exams.

Selected high achieving ASO students are given the opportunity to attend the Australian Science Olympiads Summer School at the Australian National University in January, and from there, may also be in with a chance to represent Australia at the International Science Olympiads.

In addition to the Australian Science Olympiads, Newington offers a range of enrichment opportunities for science students.

‘At Newington, science transforms curiosity into discovery, empowering students to become innovative and creative thinkers and problem-solvers in a supportive and dynamic learning environment,’ says Ms Smriti Mediratta, Head of Science and teacher of 2025 HSC student Sebastian Wong, who achieved First in State in Physics last year.

In Years 7 to 10, extension classes participate in the Science ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools) Exam, as well as the Big Science Competition. Meanwhile, 30 students from across Years 9 and 10 compete by invitation in the Science and Engineering Challenge, which is a STEM outreach program coordinated by the University of Newcastle where participants spend the day rotating through hands-on STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics) activities that encourage creative problem-solving, teamwork and practical design skills.

This year, our Science and Engineering Challenge students earned a place in the NSW Final. Next month they will travel to Newcastle to compete in a series of activities that will become more complex and are randomly allocated throughout the day.

‘We are very proud of their efforts and look forward to seeing how they go in the State Final,’ says Ms Mediratta.

Earlier this year, Newington science whizzes also pulled out some top-notch performances in the Big Science Competition and the Junior Science Olympiad. Eleven Year 10 students took part in the Junior Science Olympiad, and of those, seven received a High Distinction and two received a Distinction. Meanwhile, all of Years 7 and 8 participated in the Big Science Competition. From Year 7, 16 students achieved a Distinction and seven received a High Distinction, while 24 Year 8 students were awarded a Distinction and a further five achieved a High Distinction. Finally, three Year 10 classes participated in the Big Science Competition, achieving 13 Distinctions and eight High Distinctions.

‘Competitions like these foster a love of science and impart skills that our students will use for the rest of their lives,’ says Ms Mediratta.

‘It’s great to see so many students getting involved and making the most of the breadth of opportunities we have on offer here at Newington.’

Science remains a popular elective choice at Newington, where approximately 80 per cent of Year 10 students go onto to study at least one science subject in their senior years.

Did you know?

• In 2025 one of Ms Smriti Mediratta’s HSC students ranked First in State in Physics. You can read more about Ms Mediratta’s approach to teaching in our blog ‘Top teachers help our students achieve First in State’.
• A total of three HSC Newington students in 2025 ranked First in State in an HSC subject with a further eight ranking in the Top 10 in State in an HSC subject and nine All-round HSC Achievers and 108 students on the Distinguished Achievers List.
• Outside of Science, Newington offers a broad range of enrichment opportunities to students, including competitions such as the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge, the Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad (OzCLO), and the da Vinci Decathlon, which presents students with critical thinking challenges across 10 learning disciplines.
• Our Lindfield and Wyvern House Prep campuses have Learning Enhancement teams and High Potential teachers with specialised training who are always part of the lesson planning process.

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