Budding mathematicians compete in Imperial mental maths challenge

Over four hundred primary school students from six schools competed in the third annual Mental Maths Megastars event, a game show-style challenge.

The event was hosted by Imperial’s Outreach team earlier this month. The young students (aged 7-11 years old) competed in teams from their schools, buzzing in to answer questions in front of an audience of their peers. The event aims to inspire and maintain children’s interest in maths, using the quiz format to engage students.

Dr Annalisa Alexander, Head of Outreach, said: “Keeping children enthusiastic about maths at an early stage is vitally important if we are to ensure that enough students go on to study maths or science at university. This event is an effective way in which we can make the subject fun and enjoyable and by hosting it at the College the children have also been able to get an insight into what it’s like to go to university.” 

This is the second year the event has taken place, originally starting out as an initiative put to the Outreach team by Catherine Salvadore Paleotti, Assistant Headteacher at St Mary Magdalene Church of England Primary School in Westminster. This year’s event was organised collaboratively by Jing Xu from the Outreach team and Sandra Simpson and Corann Malcolm from the St Mary Magdalene Church of England Primary School.

Winners were presented with awards by College Secretary & Registrar John Neilson, with prizes for the winners for each year group and the school with the most points overall.

The event also included a talk from Luke Bacon, a Maths graduate and member of the Outreach team, who talked to the students about Maths and gave them an insight into student life.