MATHS

Maths matters

Maths Puzzle Page

It has been a tradition that Maths Student Leaders help out in Maths Clinic and mentor the younger students throughout the academic year. This year due to Covid and the need to stay in bubbles we have had to be more inventive. Amy Price, Katie Browning and Sophie Russell have since September produced a weekly Maths Puzzle Page for Year 7 and Year 8 students, providing solutions the next week. They have marked all submissions and communicated the outcome with the students. At the end of each week they have provided a list of those students who deserved a merit.

The Student Leaders have been a real asset to the Maths Department. The weekly Puzzle Page has attracted a regular following of students who, as well as enjoying the challenge, have improved their Maths skills by taking part.The Puzzle Page ran for twenty six weeks and more than thirty students took part. Regular contributors to the quiz included Eliza Austin, Sascha Manomano, Saachi Singh, Lily Pouliou and Victoria Marchlinska, who each participated for at least twenty separate weeks. The comments opposite give an indication what the Puzzle Page meant to some of the regular contributors and the Student Leaders:

Mrs Lonsdale

We have been sharing our interest for Maths and problem solving with the Year 7 and Year 8 students by producing a weekly Puzzle Page and solutions. We communicated with the students in Year 7 and Year 8 and awarded merits for effort and enthusiasm. It was rewarding to see the same students ” keep having a go each week and see their dedication and improvement in Maths

Amy Price, Katie Browning and Sophie Russell - Year 12 Student Leaders

All of the Puzzle Pages have increased my confidence in my problem solving skills and ” have given me the opportunity to apply this skill onto daily lessons

Victoria Marchlinska - Year 8

I have really enjoyed working through the weekly Puzzle Pages which have improved my Maths skills and made me think outside the box”

Lily Pouliou - Year 8

I enjoy doing the Maths Puzzle Page each week ” and it has really helped me to be more confident when tackling hard Maths problems in class

Eliza Austin - Year 7

I have thoroughly enjoyed solving the varied variety of Puzzle Pages. These test our brain to ” think in different ways and are especially fun when family and friends get involved too!

Saachi Singh - Year 7

UKMT Maths Challenges

For over 20 years the UKMT, based at Leeds University have been inspiring a love of problem solving in children throughtheir competitions and enrich ment activities. Preparation and entering these competitions encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems.

Until I visited South Korea, I had not realised how internationally prestigious these Maths Challenge competitions were. My daughter was a Head Teacher at NLCS on the stunningly, beautiful volcanic island of Jeju set in the ocean between China and Japan. During our frequent visits, I often walked around the Global Education City, which caters for over 9,000 students, and saw many adverts offering private tutoring to prepare students for these UK based maths competitions.

There are three certificates awarded by the UKMT:

The Gold award is achieved by the top 6-7% of the entrants. The Silver award is achieved by 13-14% of the entrants. The Bronze award is achieved by 21% of the entrants.

Well performing candidates may also be invited to enter the European Kangaroo and the Mathematical Olympiad.

This year Covid restrictions affected the way WGHS students took part in these competitions, however it did not dampen their enthusiasm. All entries were completed on-line under the supervision of parents, in particular calculators were not allowed.

Well done to all our students.

Mr Cunningham

In November 2020, the Senior Maths Challenge took place for students who are aged 19 or below; here are our results:

In February 2021, the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge took place for students in Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11. Here are our results:

Fay Bennett Nandi Ncube

Y12 Silver Best in School Y13 Silver Best in Year 13

Poppy Thun

Y12 Silver Best in Year 12 Tara Jayawardena Y13 Bronze Jennifer Lin Y13 Bronze Katie Browning Y12 Bronze Hannah Gilliard Y12 Bronze Sarah Ng Y12 Bronze Georgia Parkin Y12 Bronze Amy Price Y12 Bronze Sophie Russell Y12 Bronze

In April 2021, the Junior Mathematical Challenge took place for students in Year 7 and Year 8. Here are our results:

Rhiona Lahiri

Frances Lonsdale Y 11 Gold Best in School, qualified for the Kangaroo Round Anna Reynolds Y 10 Gold Best in Year 10, qualified for the Kangaroo Round Chantel D'Costa Y 11 Gold qualified for the Kangaroo Round Ifra Fathima

Y 11 Gold qualified for the Kangaroo Round Serena Andani Y 10 Silver Olga Deumeni Torres Y 10 Silver Jess Thornton Y 10 Silver Erin Bates Y 11 Silver Manya Dhingra Y 11 Silver Adrianna Green Y 11 Silver Fope Olusola Y 11 Silver Isabel Ward Y 11 Silver Tilly Smith Y 9 Bronze Best in Year 9 Leina Tordoff Y 9 Bronze

Jae Yim Ann Achato

Y 9 Bronze Y 10 Bronze Mia Crecraft Y 10 Bronze Abigail Gatenby Y 10 Bronze Mariam Musa Y 10 Bronze Homaira Nazim Y 10 Bronze Esme Randall Y 10 Bronze Jahaan Raza Y 10 Bronze Tia Stent Y 10 Bronze Ruby Tolan Y 10 Bronze Neha Vemula Y 10 Bronze Yasmin Kumar Y 11 Bronze Mardiah Mandarwis Y 11 Bronze Suvethikaa Subaskaran Y 11 Bronze

Y7 Silver Best in School

Ife Fasae

Y8 Silver Best in Year 8

Rhea Lahiri

Y7 Silver Amelia Martin Y7 Silver Alice Simmons Y7 Silver Saachi Singh Y7 Silver Lilly Pouliou Y8 Silver Keira Turner Y7 Bronze Hareem Ghouri Y8 Bronze Ishani Kundu Y8 Bronze