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Original poster

Junior Maths Olympiad

32 replies

PenguinsRabbits · 12/06/2019 20:58

DD just sat this and has asked me to ask if anyone else's child sat it and how they found it or anyone know how they mark.

DD thinks she got 10/10 on A and on B thinks she had 2/6 correct answers with full method on all. One of others she said method was all correct then she wrote down wrong answer. Confused She's not had any help with method though so not sure how good will be compared to their marking system.

Thanks!

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GHGN · 17/07/2019 17:00

I think BMO1 is slightly harder than STEP and BMO2 is significantly harder. However, they test completely different things and require different skill sets. The kids who do well in BMO tend to apply to Oxbridge and likely to do well in MAT and/or STEP but it is not always the other way round. The ability to solve complex problems will be useful no matter what they do though.

TheFirstOHN · 16/07/2019 23:58

The admissions departments have to be careful not to favour those who have done UKMT challenges, because there will be applicants who were not able to access this opportunity.

Having said that, applicants do need to show evidence in their personal statement of demonstrating an interest in the subject beyond their A-level classes, and having done well in the BMO1 in Y12 would be a good example. Hopefully the applicant would have enough recent and relevant things to include that they wouldn't need to resort to writing about an IMO back in Y11.

I'm not sure how relevant UKMT experience is for MAT (Oxford) and STEP (Cambridge), but problem-solving practice is never wasted, especially as interviews often centre around working through a challenging problem.

Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 16/07/2019 20:28

The JMO shows your DC is in the top c.0.33% of those who entered and Oxbridge take about the top 1% so I think it would assist. You would obviously need the GCSE and A level grades and enthusiasm too but think it would help. I went to Cambridge and interview included things like that though main focus was ability to think in your subject. DD wants to go to Cambridge but obviously need to get grades first.

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lifebegins50 · 16/07/2019 20:19

Given the small numbers that get through does the Olympiad assist with Oxbridge applications? Would it be similar to MAT?

mrwalkensir · 16/07/2019 19:22

the nice thing with the Olympiad is it looks for a feel for maths rather than just learnt technique, which is why some parents/pupils are cheerily surprised by how well they do

TheFirstOHN · 16/07/2019 19:19

DS2 did quite well in the Senior Maths Challenge last year (Y12) but missed qualifying for the BMO1 by 2 points. His state school offered to enter him for the BMO1 anyway (and fund it) but he was happy to just do the kangaroo instead.

He tends to do quite well in the initial round; he qualified for the IMO in Y11 but then in the Olympiad only managed to fully solve one question. I think he has found his natural limit. Smile

Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 16/07/2019 19:06

Eton is 12 and 3 not 11 and 1

www.etoncollege.com/newsarticle/round-two-of-british-mathematical-olympiad-proves-biggest-challenge-yet

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Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 16/07/2019 19:01

The past papers are on UKMT website though it was beyond my maths to help. I felt a bit better about that when DD's maths teacher said it was beyond his maths to help Smile

Our maths department are great - they offer maths, FM and stats GCSE and enter UKMT JMC, IMC and SMC even though school just goes to 16. Don't do team comp but still its great. Rest of the school doesn't notice a thing though which is a bit sad - if you are the back end of a donkey in a school play you can be all over school newsletter and Twitter but they don't notice anything in maths.

Primary did PMC and they won the area for first time in 20 years and they did JMC. JMO in year 6 is amazing.

DD sat the Olympiad in the staff room and some staff were Confused Most schools I know enter - its around 300,000 entered a year - that must be about 40%ish of pupils in one school year but hard to know exactly because in year 8 top 10 kids are entered for IMC, year 9 its all, year 10 and 11 its optional. Year 7 it was top set only or JMC, year 8 all. DD did spot a press release from Eton about the SMO and they had 11 through to round 2 and it said congratulations to the one who had earned his way through from previous round so they must have bought 10 entries. Hope they charged them a lot for that! Must be hard to finance as a charity but its great work they do.

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BettertoChange · 16/07/2019 17:45

It's extra work to enter the challenge and many schools aren't willing to do. I asked a few years ago the possibilities to enter PMC and declined by then the primary school. To the very last year of his primary, the class teacher persuaded the headmistress to enter DS to the JMC and surprisingly DS got 50/70 in the JMO.

lifebegins50 · 16/07/2019 17:28

Thanks, he sat the Olympiad so might follow up to ask about the paper. I think he would be interested in comments.

Our school seemed to almost consider it an inconvenience, which in some ways it might be, so there was no practice at all.
I wasn't sure if I should have helped him ahead of time by looking at past papers.
He was not phased by it and he did well.

Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 16/07/2019 10:44

DD was at a London grammar last year and no practice or advice but they got no children through to Olympiad this year or last. Quite surprising as quite difficult to get a place though I guess it was only 995 kids in the whole country this year that sat Olympiad.

Think its just top set sit the JMC at the competition but obviously that's just the first round.

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azaleanth90 · 16/07/2019 10:14

Ours is a grammar and didn't do any practice or get advice - the kids just all sat it automatically

Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 15/07/2019 21:58

Paper with comments on - you only get paper back for Olympiad, not for Kangaroo and first round and it comes via post. Our school were looking in the e-mail at first until I got DD to point this out. Paper has marks per question with comments per question on section B and total mark out of 70.

DD did one practice paper for Olympiad and a few practice papers for first round but its a comprehensive and no preparation or advice via school - all the maths teachers have apparently been in to see what she looks like though Smile

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lifebegins50 · 15/07/2019 19:32

Did you get the paper back or just the result?

How much prep do your children do? Genuine question as one DC I know studies at least an hour a week. My dc did no practice at all

GrouchingTiggerHiddenSomething · 12/07/2019 15:12

He's had his result today (with question mark breakdown) but no paper back yet.

GrouchingTiggerHiddenSomething · 11/07/2019 18:30

Just us still waiting then, sigh.

Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 11/07/2019 16:46

Got Olympiad paper back today.

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Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 10/07/2019 18:50

UKMT told me they had e-mailed and posted results/papers for Olympiad / Kangaroo week of 1-5 July.

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BettertoChange · 10/07/2019 17:27

DS knew his mark 10 days ago. Papers will be next term.

Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 10/07/2019 16:51

Still nothing here today but I told DD Olympiad come by post and she told the maths teacher and he was Shock and said he would look in Head of Maths' post. Head of Maths is abroad this week so that maybe where our schools' are.

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3Muses · 10/07/2019 15:32

Kangaroo even!

3Muses · 10/07/2019 15:30

Kids in our school got both Olympiad and Kangeroo marks back last week.

Original poster
PenguinsRabbits · 09/07/2019 18:54

DD says she goes on a forum where people discuss results and says no-one has mentioned having Olympiad results yet. Kangaroo I think were through last Monday.

When I e-mailed them today said school should have Olympiad papers back now and if not get school to chase. School is quite slow with these things though so maybe will see by end of the week then get them to chase. Maybe just in school internal post atm.

Madness Is that an Olympiad paper back? That's encouraging if it is, should be this week then.

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thereinmadnesslies · 09/07/2019 18:29

DS got his results last Friday

GrouchingTiggerHiddenSomething · 09/07/2019 18:24

I got DS to ask today and his maths teacher said they don't have the results yet. There must have been some hold up somewhere, glad it's not just us still waiting to hear!