Competition celebrates ‘the magic of maths’
BOBBY SEAGULL, the selfstyled poster boy for algebra and quadratic equations, is once again banging the drum for his favourite subject by encouraging Yorkshire schools to tackle a never-before-seen mathematical problem.
Now in its 10th year, Explore Learning Mathematician’s Awards has appointed the University Challenge favourite as an ambassador in the hope of boosting the number of entries to this year’s event.
Led by Explore Learning, which has centres in Leeds, Sheffield and York, the competition is open to schools across the county.
The first round challenges pupils to take on a complex maths problem which no-one else has tried to solve before. The top scoring primaries and secondaries will then be invited to the grand final at London’s Natural History Museum next February.
Mr Seagull said: “This competition really inspires children to see the fun that maths can bring – pushing them out of their comfort zone and encouraging them to work together.
“I have always loved maths because once you’ve gained confidence in the basics of numeracy, you then have a licence to become truly creative.”
The competition is among initiatives aiming to plug the attainment gap which shows students from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve worse results at GCSE maths than those from more affluent families.
Charlotte Gater, the head of curriculum at Explore Learning, said: “Maths is everywhere
- you can find it in a musical masterpiece, in a work of art and all across the natural world. Our competition celebrates the magic that maths can bring – and the enjoyment that children can get out of it when they try their hardest.
“This is a real opportunity for pupils to show off their mathematical prowess and a chance to build on their teamwork and problem-solving skills.”