UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge
Records broken again as North Bromsgrove High School students continue to excel in the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge
In January 2024, 235 North Bromsgrove High School students from the top Maths groups of Years 9, 10 and 11 participated in the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge.
In a similar fashion to the Senior Maths Challenge that our sixth form pupils completed last October, the pupils were tested on their mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. 25 multiple choice questions were asked with all of them designing to make students think. They were only given plain paper and no calculators were allowed throughout the 60-minute paper-based challenge.
Students faced tough competition and competed against students from different schools nationally and internationally. Only the top half of all participants receive certificates with gold awarded to the top 8% of entrants, silver to the next 17% and bronze to the next 25%.
The Maths department are proud to announce a record number of winners, breaking the record set two years ago! Three of our students achieved the gold award, with a further seventeen students receiving silver and seventy-two students receiving bronze. Many congratulations go to our winners and to all students who participated in the competition.
Furthermore, two of the students, Jackson Parker from Year 9 and Riley Sanford-Godwin from Year 11 have qualified for the follow-up Kangaroo competition - they are amongst the top 10,000 students from the competition. The Kangaroo competition will take place on Thursday 21st March, and we cannot wait to see how they do!
The certificates will go well with their CVs and their plans for the next steps ahead, such as applying to sixth form at North where we continue to sustain a high number of students taking A-Level Maths and an increasing number of students doing the Further Maths qualification also.
Mr Man, teacher of Maths and organiser of the UKMT Maths Challenge competitions at North Bromsgrove High School, said: “I am absolutely delighted to see our records being broken again, with an increasing number of students achieving excellent results in the Intermediate Maths Challenge. These results reflect on the continued hard work from both students and colleagues from the Maths department who use opportunities not just to lay the ground on achieving the basic mathematical fluency skills but developing their mathematical ideas through their reasoning and dealing with unfamiliar questions through problem solving. I am also delighted that two of our students have qualified for the follow-up Kangaroo competition. I am also looking forward to seeing how our Year 11 and 13 students will perform in the next set of GCSE and A Level exams this summer.”
In addition, the Maths department also ran a house competition to see which house performed best in the Intermediate Maths Challenge. Earhart came top with 455 points, followed by Rowling with 440, Attenborough with 375 and Churchill with 365. All the points contribute to the Scholars Cup.
The full list of winners are listed below in order of Year group:
Year 9:
Gold (1):
Jackson P – Top scorer in Year 9 and Grey Kangaroo qualifier
Silver (1):
Matthew B
Bronze (19):
Ellis P
Charlie H
Alfie L
Leo H
Isaac N
Amelia S-S
Chloe W
Joey C
Georgia R
Harry P
Adam C
Millie R
Will W
Phoebe L
George S
Lilly S
James D
Abi W
Holly S
Year 10:
Silver (8):
Millie P – Top scorer in Year 10
Ewan M
Ewan B
Bethany C
Oliver L
Kieran B
Sophie C
Christos E-M
Bronze (30):
Charlie A
Sophie F
Megan H
Jack S
Sophie H
Tom P
Ellie C
Matilda H
Morgan-Lee C
Rose L
Isobelle M
Jed F
Johnathan L
Kirtan S
Ellison W
David J
Jimmy P
Jacob B
Imogen R
Archie E
Warwick E
Haydn F
Sophie M
Ellie N
Molly A
Ellie B
Olivia W
Jessica B
Ellis F
Alex M
Year 11:
Gold (2):
Riley S-G – Top scorer in school and Pink Kangaroo qualifier
Jai B
Silver (8):
Kayden C
Ruby H
Samuel H
Keira B
Emily F
Gene S
Thomas P
Ewan M
Bronze (23):
Oliver G
Dylan O
Tobias M
Oliver W
Charlie M
Esmae R
Grace B
Asia E
Eva J
Ashleigh K
Leland S
Freya-Yvonne S-S
Regulus D
Ben H
Jonah B
James H-H
Maisie Y
Ella B
Connie G
Tabitha S
Charlie-Mae T
Amber W
Jack H
