INNOVATIVE students have made a ‘Chemistree’ as part of their Christmas decorations.

The Year 13 cohort at UTC Oxfordshire in Harwell made the Chemistree from soluble transition metal compounds featuring coloured transition metal ions during an end of term activity.

Making up the ‘baubles’ (flasks and test tubes) are Copper Cu 2+ (blue), Cobalt Co 2+ (pink), Chromium Cr 3+ (lilac), Iron Fe 3+ (yellow/orange), and some mixtures of them all.

Engineering students also rigged up a Christmas tree at reception.

UTC Oxfordshire opened in September 2015, and specialises in science and engineering.

In 2018, UTC Oxfordshire was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.