Subject Focus: Maths

This term saw 45 Year 12 students, accompanied by their teachers, visit the Royal Institution in London to attend Maths Fest 2023. This annual event sees a packed programme of events presented by top mathematicians and aims to broaden the horizons of A Level Mathematics students, encouraging and inspiring them to take Maths in directions they had perhaps not yet considered. Organised by stand-up mathematician Matt Parker and maths author Rob Eastaway, Berkhamsted have been attending the event for a number of years and it is a highlight of the Berkhamsted Maths calendar, always promising an engaging and interesting variety of speakers. This year was no exception.

Highlights this year included two talks on environmental issues, looking at how maths can be applied to solve real world problems such as plastic pollution in the oceans and the melting of glacial ice, as well as a talk on the way mathematics is used in the news, and how there is the potential for numbers to be manipulated to suit particular agendas. Other talks focused on exam skills and advice, meaning that the Berkhamsted pupils who attended not only came away with an enthusiasm for the real-world applications and potential for maths but also some useful tips and tricks they can use in lessons and exams.

The trip was a real showcase for the wide and varied applications of Maths, and an inspiring experience for Year 12 to take into their A Level studies and beyond.