St Anthony's Prep - Junior Maths Challenge

Enrichment programs particularly in Maths and Science have become part and parcel of the curriculums of Independent schools. More and more, schools and Universities are recognising the need for children to be extended creatively beyond the curriculum and challenges offered by nationally recognised institutions certainly help bolster applications toHigher Education Institutions. St Anthony’s School for boys subscribes to this view and recognises the need to extend boys beyond the curriculum.

Towards this end, the UKMT Maths challenges are a popular school choice for those considered gifted in Maths, for those who wish to further apply their mathematical skills and application and show a genuine enjoyment of, and an enthusiasm for, the subject.application in an enjoyable and challenging way. It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. Most are accessible and the questions tend to be topical in relation to the curriculum, yet still challenge those with more experience to think laterally and analytically. They are mostly pitched at a high level and gives an indication of a child’s aptitude for the subject.

St Anthony’s School for Boys has this year sat their pupils in Years 7 and 8 – along with a select few boys from Years 4 - 6 for the Junior Maths Challenge (aimed for pupils between the ages of 11 and 13) and is delighted to report excellent outcomes. This year saw the highest number of boys achieving Gold, Silver, or Bronze over the last five years. Fifteen boys have been invited to take part in the following rounds - with two of them having made it through to the prestigious Junior Olympiad. Year 4 and 5 boys have done particularly well (given that the papers are aimed at pupil far older than them) and not only did the Year 4s increase Silver and Bronze but one boy secured Gold, which is remarkable.

Of a total of 82 boys between Year 5 and Year 8 in 2023, 26 per cent. scored Gold, 22 percent, Silver and 25 per cent Bronze. With, 2 boys going through to the Olympiad and a further 13 to the Kangaroo round, this shows a fantastic increase in both participation and achievement over the last few years, specifically, from 2019 to date.

The school is incredibly proud of all the boys who participated and also of their excellentMaths teachers led by the head of the Maths Faculty, Nada El-Mufti.

This is the most recent testament to the school’s academic performance and ties in with the record results achieved by the school leavers for the second year running. Clearly, the changes that it’s inspirational headmaster, Richard Berlie and his very able staff have been effecting are bearing fruition, not just at the exit levels but right through the school. With parent numbers growing, a very slow moving wait list and a co-educational nursery about to launch, the school is fast gaining popularity as an academic, high achieving school who have not lost their focus on pastoral care. The dual approach has done wonders for the student body and boys are well supported on their educational journeys, striving to achieve their potential and rising to academic challenges with gusto. A fact that is becoming more and more statistically evident with every passing year.

25.05.23