University of Southampton Mathematics Challenge 2014

The two Challenges are competitions where pupils up to years 8 and 10 respectively attempt to solve interesting and stretching mathematical problems. On Wednesday 4th June, over 100 people attended a prize ceremony at the University of Southampton's Highfield campus, including prize winners, parents and teachers.

This year the entries had a broader geographical spread than ever before, with schools ranging from Birmingham to Monmouth to Surrey and even international entries from Jersey as well as local entries from around Hampshire and Dorset. The overall winners came from Henry Beaufort School and King's School in Winchester and from King Edward VI school in Southampton. The second prizes in the Maths Challenge went to King Edward VI Camp Hill School in Birmingham, Wildern School in Hedge End and Upper Shirley High School in Southampton took while Henry Beaufort School took second prize in the Senior Maths Challenge. Other schools whose pupils took home prizes included Cowes Enterprise College, Eggar's School, Jersey College for Girls, Solihull School, Toynbee School, Warblington School and Warlingham School.

Dr Nick Wright who ran the challenge commented:
“It really puts the winners' achievements into perspective when you consider how many pupils took part from across the country. It was wonderful that so many of the winners were able to come to the award ceremony, many coming quite some distance.”

The Challenge and Senior Challenge competitions are set by the Department of Mathematics at the University of Liverpool through the Mathematics on Merseyside (MEM) outreach initiative. These competitions date back to 1978, and the University of Southampton's branch of the Challenge has now been running for four years.

The Mathematical Sciences outreach team at the University of Southampton run various events and workshops for students at all ability levels. The University of Southampton Mathematics Challenges will be returning next spring, while the National Cipher Challenge will be returning for the twelfth time this autumn.

For more information about the outreach programmes and competitions please visit https://www.southampton.ac.uk/maths/outreach/index.page