This week, Lower Sixth chemistry pupils swapped their usual lessons for a hands-on day in the lab, stepping into the shoes of pharmaceutical chemists. Their challenge: to synthesise aspirin, one of the world’s most widely used painkillers, as part of their practical endorsement.
Working with focus and precision, pupils carried out a sequence of advanced techniques—including reflux, recrystallisation, and vacuum filtration—to produce their own samples. The warm weather didn’t slow them down, and by the end of the day, every pupil had successfully completed the synthesis. Once fully dry, the aspirin will be analysed to determine yield and purity.
Related Posts
The annual Children in Need fancy dress day saw the Sixth Former Centre full of weird and wonderful characters with both staff and pupils participating. Dominating the scene was a magnificent giant pterodactyl with the pupil valiantly battling to manoeuvre through school corridors and the cobbles of Rochester. A spirited contingent of cowboys and [...]
The King's School rowing team had a strong start to the long-distance racing season at the Kingston Small Boats Head on the Thames this weekend, competing among 491 entries over two divisions. This was the squad's first major long-distance event of the year, covering a challenging 5500m course. The crews showed great composure and [...]
King's hosted its first "Swap, Don’t Shop" event. Pupils and parents took part in the simple, fun, and eco-friendly way to refresh their wardrobes without feeding the fast-fashion cycle. We may have seen the start of KSR Vinted! The message is hopefully even clearer: Fast fashion is one of the world’s biggest polluters. The industry [...]
