Macclesfield Primary Schools’ Mathematics Challenge

Each year, King’s Senior Division Mathematics Department organises and hosts the Macclesfield Primary Schools’ Mathematics Challenge.

Around 15 local primary schools take place, each forwarding a team of Year 5 pupils to battle it out against their peers from other local schools.

Aims

To provide an opportunity for pupils in Year 5 to celebrate their learning at the end of the academic year (after SATS).

To provide a fun, interactive and challenging afternoon of maths-focussed activities which are beyond the normal type of challenge faced in a maths lesson.

To allow pupils to come together with their peers from other local schools in a single, large venue.

Background

The idea came from the Senior Division’s Mathematics department as a fun activity that would help prepare pupils for the transition from Key Stage 2 to Key stage 3, and to introduce primary school children to challenges that are beyond the type normally encountered by pupils preparing for SATs.

Resources

The King’s School’s Main Hall is use to bring all the local primary schools together.

All activities are run by Senior Maths Teachers and resources are provided by King’s Mathematics Department.  Prizes and certificates are awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners – these are funded by King’s.

Impact

A really enjoyable afternoon for Year 5 children to experience mathematical challenges alongside their peers from other local schools.

Positive feedback is received from primary schools attend and the majority of schools attend each year.

Pupil Involvement

The Maths Challenge is for mixed groups of boys and girls in Year 5 from a number of different primary schools.

This year, pupils attended from 15 different primary schools.

Frequency

Annual event taking place toward the end of the academic year, in June/July.