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UKMT maths challenges

40 replies

Astronotus · 30/01/2018 08:11

Our school always run these first thing in the morning. Other schools hold the test in the afternoon. Is this ethical, as many of the questions are being discussed on the internet by then?

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TheSecondOfHerName · 22/02/2018 18:20

DS2 got 114, which I think may have been the highest score in his school. Really pleased for him.

TheSecondOfHerName · 22/02/2018 17:05

Well done to your DS stressedoutfred

stressedoutfred · 22/02/2018 16:43

My son got a Bronze certificate, he's very pleased!

AhBut · 22/02/2018 03:35

GHGN thanks, I must have misread it. He will have been in the ballot previously then but not been lucky. Maybe this will be his year!
He’s working towards the Queens camp - managed a distinction in the BMO this year, so he’s made a start 😊

GHGN · 21/02/2018 21:46

AhBut You don't need full mark to be called up to the normal Maths summer schools. I believe it is a random selection of the top scorers and nowhere near full mark. We had students who got anything between 115 to 125 and were invited to the summer schools in Leeds.

The Queen camp is another matter though.

stressedoutfred · 21/02/2018 20:52

Apparently DS is going to get his tomorrow

TheSecondOfHerName · 21/02/2018 20:31

DS2 doesn't know his result yet.

AhBut · 21/02/2018 12:35

Results were emailed last week. My year 11 DS got 130/135, so close to the summer school ballot 😩

stressedoutfred · 21/02/2018 10:41

Scrap that! Just found the info on the website!

stressedoutfred · 21/02/2018 10:35

Does anyone know when the results will be known?

AlexanderHamilton · 01/02/2018 20:02

Ds got out of German which he hates to do maths which he likes.

Win win for him!

TheSecondOfHerName · 01/02/2018 18:27

DS2 felt he did his best in the intermediate challenge today. He was able to come up with a solution for every question and said he enjoyed it.

SugarRush123 · 01/02/2018 00:56

FGS, would anyone even consider cheating in this? MY DC made it through to the Olympiad stage (proper Olympiad, not Kangaroo) and was rather bored with it all, even when they got a silver medal in the second round.
Seriously, how and why would anyone cheat? I can't even begin to think.

GreenTulips · 31/01/2018 23:24

If some kids can get medals for sport, so can mathematicians

Yes but the sports people get their faces and praise splashed on FB and school website. Mathematicians are show offs or boastful. Hey hi!

TheSecondOfHerName · 31/01/2018 21:35

DS2 has never reached the dizzying heights of a book prize; I think he won a keyring one year. Smile

He did win £100 of book tokens in an FMSP competition though.

GHGN · 31/01/2018 19:39

Some of my students have got to the Olympiad round and got book prizes, medals and recognition. A couple of them were able to travel to oversea to train and one may represent their country this year.
It all started with a gold certificate when they were in year 9/10.

If some kids can get medals for sport, so can mathematicians.

AtiaoftheJulii · 31/01/2018 19:31

I might include intermediate Olympiad participation, definitely BMO participation, but not Kangaroo.

it doesn't really mean that much

What??? Ds has had a couple of book prizes, he's the envy of his peers! GrinGrinGrin

PookieSnackenberger · 31/01/2018 18:16

Honestly I'd be amazed if anyone can be bothered to cheat as, whilst it's nice to know you're a dazzling mathematician, it doesn't really mean that much. A way of recognising excellence but that's about it.

My older 3 have all taken part. DS2 is an exceptional mathematician and turned up to school (late), was pulled out of lessons and his teacher plonked the paper in front of him. No preparation and no fuss. They have participated in the Kangaroo as well - again no big fuss.

I suggested DS2 include it in his UCAS statement and he laughed at me!

GreenTulips · 31/01/2018 18:09

Pity you have lot of pupils who don't want to do it

In what way is it a pity?

Taffeta · 31/01/2018 17:41

Op - mine have both done it so I’m not as frothy about it as I used to be!
And tbh, not sure how else it could be done, given it’s age standardised etc and the marks depend on everyone doing the same test.

sandybayley · 31/01/2018 17:30

Agree with Atia - yes doIng well at UKMT is a great achievement for individual pupils but hardly worth a school risking their reputation to cheat.

The only audience it would matter to would be parents of prodigiously talented mathematicians and I suspect they'd be asking for slightly more robust evidence!

Good luck to all those DC sitting the intermediate challenge tomorrow - either in the morning or afternoon!

AtiaoftheJulii · 31/01/2018 17:24

Kudos of school for getting high number of certificates and pupils through to the next round?

Are you now suggesting that schools do this on purpose and might encourage their pupils to find out questions/answers??? Think you might be getting a bit carried away!

Do you have a DC doing the Intermediate Challenge tomorrow?

Clavinova · 31/01/2018 12:34

Perhaps this will reassure you op - just copied this post from the student room forum - posted on the morning of the senior maths challenge in November:

I believe this thread is being closed until tonight to avoid discussion of answers enabling others to cheat. I'll be closing this thread when I get to school if it hasn't been closed by that point. Please don't go and find other threads to discuss your answers on

Hardwickwhite · 31/01/2018 12:33

DDs school has the same issues as Giraffes it simply wouldn't happen during school hours. We have had fun winding DD up about her forthcoming maths detention though...

Original poster
Astronotus · 31/01/2018 12:30

GiraffesCant. Good point about the organisation of it. Never thought of that. Pity you have lot of pupils who don't want to do it.
Noblegiraffe. Kudos of school for getting high number of certificates and pupils through to the next round? Good for marketing?
Taffeta. Still shocked Kent test is the same one. I'm interested. Set up another thread and I will definitely join it.

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