A DORCHESTER student will be representing the UK in a prestigious physics competition in Thailand.

Thomas Hardye School sixth former Ed Godfrey has won a place in the International Physics Olympiad after his success in the British Physics Olympiad (Bpho) last month.

The examination-based Bpho competition aims to challenge and reward the best physicists in British schools and select the UK physics team for the competition at international level.

Ed, of Year 13, was one of just five chosen out of 1,700 young physicists from across the country to go on to represent the UK in the international competition in Thailand next month. The Bpho competition works in four rounds and those who reached the fourth round were selected to create the competing team for Thailand. A total of seven students from Thomas Hardye took part in the Bpho and Tom Beauchamp, also in Year 13, reached the third round.

Ed, 17, said: “I am really excited about representing the UK in Thailand. It’s a great honour to be invited to be part of the team.

“We all aim to do our best.”

The annual International Physics Olympiad features teams from 80 countries and it involves a five-hour theory exam and a five-hour practical exam.

Science teacher Timothy Rand said: “It is fantastic that a student from Thomas Hardye school has qualified for this prestigious international competition, which has usually been the preserve of private schools.

“Ed has a remarkable gift for mathematics and this year he has been able to apply that talent during his physics studies.”

Ed attended the awards presentation for the Bpho competition at the Royal Society in London last month and he also shares this year’s National Physics Laboratory prize for Theoretical Physics with Yutian Wu of the Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh.

He was presented with his award at the Royal Society by Dr Kamal Hossein, Director of the NPL.

Ed has been offered a conditional place at Cambridge University to read maths which he describes as his passion.

While a pupil at St Mary’s Middle School, Ed attended Thomas Hardye for his maths lessons and took his A-level a year early.