At the end of April, it was finally time for our Year 7 and 8 students to take on the challenge of the UKMT Junior Mathematics Challenge 2022. This annual event has been sorely missed over the last couple of years and the mathematics department were keen to get students re-engaged with this event. Past results have been very encouraging and we were looking forward to seeing if our current cohort could match up to our previous success.

120 students from Years 7 and 8 took part this year. They were up against students from over 4000 other schools across the UK. The standard of participation is high, where only the best achieving students can receive an award.

Once again, the mathematics department is delighted to report that a significant number of students were recognised for their individual performances. Year 8 performed admirably with 29 students receiving awards. Year 7 also set a high standard for their first attempt at the challenge with 22 students achieving an award. These represent some of our best ever results and sets a high standard for our current Year 7s to live up to next year when they will take the challenge again.

Furthermore, Eden F and Megan L in Year 8, not only achieved the joint best results in school, they were also invited to take part in the follow up event, the Junior Mathematical Kangaroo 2022. This extra event is there to recognise the top achievers in the Junior Mathematical Challenge. The Junior Mathematical Kangaroo Challenge will take place on 14th June 2022 and we are very much looking forward to seeing how our students perform.

This year’s prize winners are as follows:

Eden F and Megan L (Year 8) – Best in School, Best in Year and Gold award.

Lily S (Year 7) – Best in Year and Silver award.

Silver awards also went out to the following students:

(Year 8) Harriet C, Lucy H, Deanna K, Nusaibah B, Marielle M, Rosie Y, Melanie W, Phoebe B, Maisy E, Saskia H, Niamh L, Aysha M and Tilly C.

(Year 7) Poppy M, Daisy L, Natalia N, Holly R, Tanisha S, Amber P, Maisie B, Uswa H and Fiza M.

Bronze awards also went out to the following students:

(Year 8) Neve H, Naomi T, Lexie P, Grace C, Evie H, Rebecca L, Eva M, Sophie S, Elizabeth N, Eliza S, Lydia W, Elizabeth B, Vidhya P and Charlotte P.

(Year 7) Zainab M, Ana C, Naomi S, Aminah A, Molly B, Syeda F, Olivia H, Helena M, Grace A, Imogen C, Saniya S and Emily W.

Congratulations to all students involved! You have set a very high standard to follow next year.

Mr S Cheal

The Mathematics Department

Since the last article post back in March 2022, Edge Hill University have informed us that both teams in Year 9 have successfully made it through to Stage 2 of the competition. This is a fantastic achievement and the students should be very proud of themselves!

The Edge Hill University Mathematics Challenge is an annual competition organised by the Faculty of Education specifically for Year 9 (England and Wales), S2 (Scotland) and Year 10 (Northern Ireland) students.

The challenge aims to immerse students in mathematics whilst making the subject fun. It provides students with the opportunity to tackle engaging mathematical activities whilst developing teamwork and communication skills. It also allows students to explore alternative ways of solving problems; skills which are transferable in the real world.

The teams that entered are:

Team 1: ‘The Mathia’ (Alice W, Libby W, Savo A, Jennah K and Maisie W)

Team 2: ‘The Calcoholics’ (Tasneem A, Gracie H, Victoria K, Fatima K and Abi C)

Both teams have now been sent another set of problems to choose from. The problems presented in each stage of the competition are very different from the mathematical work associated with Key Stage 3 and 4 Mathematics as this time, they must make explicit their use of computer technology in solving the question.

If the students are successful at this stage of this competition, they will be invited to Edge Hill University to present their answer in July to a panel of judges.

Best of luck to both teams!

Miss Hasan

Maths Department

The mathematics department have been working collaboratively to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics through a ‘mastery’ approach.

We all strive to teach identified topics with an agreed approach for understanding so that if students move sets or change teachers, they are not confused by different teaching styles. Our new approach for year 7 is using ratio tables to teach ratio, direct proportion and multiplicative reasoning. The aim is to embed this through KS3 and KS4 but we are only at the start of our journey here.

We have identified other topics within mathematics that we will use with this approach. We will then use this across the curriculum in other subjects that use direct proportion, for example, Science, Food Technology and Art.

One of our aims is to use different representations and thus help learners understand mathematical concepts via multiple channels in a better way.

The following areas of mathematics can also use ratio tables:

• Fractions
• Percentages
• Best value for money
• Conversions
• Recipe problems
• Construction, measuring and scale
• Straight line graphs and calculating the gradient
• Scatter diagrams
• Enlargement and similarity
• Rates
• Trigonometry
• Capture, recapture

Below is an example of how direct proportion can be taught using the ratio tables moving from the unitary method.

Example of a solving a recipe question using a ratio table.

Ant is making a spicy soup for 11 people. He uses 25ml of Tabasco sauce. Bea is making the same soup for 33 people. How much Tabasco sauce should she use?

Example of using a ratio table for similar shapes

Example of using a ratio table for money conversions.

6 Australian Dollars are worth 27 Argentine Pesos. What are 20 Australian Dollars worth?

What I really like about ratio tables are the use of fractions. Students will need to be confident with:

• converting fractions from mixed numbers to improper fractions and vice versa.
• Understanding that dividing by 2 is the same as multiplying by a half etc.
• Converting between fractions and decimals.
• Multiplying by fractions.
• Simplifying fractions.
• Understanding that multiplication can make the outcome smaller and not always bigger.

The above skills will improve their fluency in fractions. 

Mrs Sweeney

Curriculum Leader for Mathematics