EF Academy Torbay excel in the UK Maths Challenge

EF Academy Torbay has always excelled in Math’s and the UK Maths challenge has always been a place where we have been able to show a little but we have really proved ourselves this time.

Students from across the school attended the regional heat of the UK Math’s challenge in the local seaside town of Exmouth this week and competed against 24 local schools from grammars to private and state and  some of the best math’s students in the area. They have been practicing and preparing for a long time and regularly because the math’s challenge is a really popular school club but it is clearly a testament to our amazing math’s department.

The Senior Challenge is aimed at all 16-19 year olds studying mathematics i.e. year 13 and below in England and Wales, year 14 and below in Northern Ireland and S6 and below in Scotland. It is also suitable for students who may no longer be studying mathematics but have completed their GCSE (or equivalent). The challenge involves answering 25 multiple choice questions in 90 minutes and is sat in school under normal exam conditions.

The top 60% of students nationally receive a gold, silver or bronze certificate in the ratio 1:2:3 and each institution receives a Best in School certificate. Top performing students are then invited to take part in follow on rounds and the very best can represent their country in the International Mathematical Olympiad. Around 1000 top scorers in the Senior Challenge are invited to take part in the British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1 and around 2000 are invited to take part in the Senior Kangaroo.

We competed against 24 other schools and amazingly we came fourth which puts us in a great position to reach the finals which would be a great achievement for the school, the department and the students.