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Original poster

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?

OP posts:
GiraffesCantDoMentalArithmetic · 31/01/2018 11:10

I organise the maths challenge at my school. the timing depends on the following:
When the hall is available
When I can arrange for the desks and chairs to be put out
When I can get teachers to invigilate
When the pupils will be missing the least disruptive lessons

If I didn't consider all of the above, the maths challenge would piss off all my colleagues and I would have to pass on the cost of external invigilation to parents (of lots of pupils who don't even want to do it). Basically, we wouldn't be able to do the challenge at all.

Taffeta · 31/01/2018 11:06

Internet fora are pretty good at shutting down anyone trying to discuss the Kent test questions.

noblegiraffe · 31/01/2018 10:48

The reward for doing really well is entry to the next round with harder questions. Not sure how many would cheat for the opportunity to sit another exam.

Julie8008 · 31/01/2018 01:00

I cant see how it makes any difference. How many kids can get on the internet during school lunchtime to tell random strangers answers to questions they might or might not have memorised correctly in the test with answers that also might or might not have been worked out correctly, all under time constraints. And as they use negative marking anything less than a certainty and your as likely to lose marks as you are to gain them. There is no academic or financial gain.

Just look on student room and see how hard it is to get the questions & answers for GCSE papers weeks after they have been sat.

Or have they secretly photographed the questions?

AtiaoftheJulii · 30/01/2018 23:25

Yeah, like GHGN says, fun or inconvenience. If it's fun, cheating would take the fun out of it; if it's an inconvenience, why bother cheating?

GreenTulips · 30/01/2018 23:14

Strange thing to worry about!

DD got to gold in year 7 and is hoping for a higher place this year - I doubt any kids actually give much of a flying fig

grindel · 30/01/2018 23:07

Why would anyone do that? What's the incentive? I'm prepared to be enlightened but would anyone bother for the Ukmt? It's great when Kids do well but it's not like there's anything riding on it.

AtiaoftheJulii · 30/01/2018 22:58

Yes, I know. Are you suggesting that someone who thinks they've got the answers right writes a list of the letters then puts it online for other people to smuggle in to their sitting?

Original poster
Astronotus · 30/01/2018 22:56

The answers are multiple choice.

OP posts:
AtiaoftheJulii · 30/01/2018 22:26

Those who take them seriously seem very serious about not discussing them until the next day, ime! Have you seen a lot of such discussion?

For the challenges, it would be very hard to remember and reproduce enough questions to make much difference, I would have thought.

GHGN · 30/01/2018 22:20

UKMT states that as long as it is done on the day then it is fine. Most students take this like a bit of fun/inconvenience depends on how they see it. A few would take it seriously if they are aiming for a gold or later round.

Original poster
Astronotus · 30/01/2018 13:44

Kent test - seems rather iffy legalwise!

I just wish schools would play fair with the UKMT challenges and run them all in the mornings.

OP posts:
Taffeta · 30/01/2018 10:57

It’s exactly the same. Sad

Original poster
Astronotus · 30/01/2018 08:53

I didn't know that Taffeta. Surely it can't be the same paper set?

OP posts:
Taffeta · 30/01/2018 08:13

It’s the same with any test

11+ in Kent is sat for Kent residents midweek and out of area a few days later

How unfair is that?!