Intermediate Maths Challenge/Olympiad

[BarnetDad]

Is this a very widely-entered thing? Something to get us all excited over following on from 11+ and before the spectre of GCSEs....?

I understand that the challenge is a competion (like an exam really) where pupils can get certificates Bronze/Silver/Gold depending on how well they do and then the Gold* people (about top 500) do another test called the Olympiad (sounds a bit pompous to me!!). I wonder if the league-table compilers have missed out on this as another source of dodgy stats?

[aliportico]

I don't know how widespread it is - 2 of my kids' grammar schools do it, the 3rd's comp doesn't.

There's a primary maths challenge for up to y6, run by the mathematics association, and then the UK mathematics trust run the junior m.c. for y7 and 8, the intermediate for y9-11, and the senior one for sixth formers. And then there are international competitions.

This year's IMC just happened, with the Olympiad round next week. Junior is next term.

[Warks mum]

DD's grammar enter all its students into the appropriate Maths Challenge with the high achievers also given the opportunity to go into the 'one above', e.g. doing the Senior Challenge in Year 11.

The questions are rather different from standard school stuff and it's a bit of fun. Each year a few youngsters go on to the next stage which is good for their egos!

[twelveminus]

I did at my (rather posh) comp.

[Guest55]

There are also team maths challenges at junior, intermediate and senior levels.

Many schools do these challenges. I've posted before that one of my most able ex-students who is now doing post-doc research never even got a bronze at any of these so it does not necessarily correlate with other aspects of mathematical ability!

[Long Journey]

I think the top 40% of children who do the JMC/IMC/SMC are awarded certificates in some ratio of gold:silver:bronze, so good chance of getting something. It looks like the primary version is harder in that only the top 1 to 2% go through to the bonus round to then get their gold, silver or bronze medals. I'm not sure it really counts for anything other than being a fun competition for the children to take part in. I think they enjoy the funny names in the PMC more than the actual questions .

[secondtime]

My DS in Year 11 has just sat Intermediate. He has moved on to Olympiad now - got to say I found questions very challenging from past papers and needed the answers! Given that I have a good grade A level in Maths, it would appear very challenging or I am getting too old!

He did Junior Challenge in Year 8 and then its Olympiad afterwards. Ended up getting a boxed medal.

It is very problem solving orientated so will suit some DC and some will hate it!

[moved]

I used to run a maths challenge club in the non-selective school I worked in. I didn't have any high fliers but the children were proud to receive their bronze, silver and gold certificates!

[silverysea]

DD1 year 8 is apparently sitting this today, in state comprehensive. I would have liked to know before this morning but she is being awkward lately over my wanting to do some maths revision with her, and I am anyway busy with DD2 11+ preparation. She said anyway she wouldn't "win" anything (like it's a complete waste of time unless you "win"), because "hackers in Afganistan win it all anyway". !


Oh well at least she couldn't opt out, (as it was set work), with me none the wiser as I am with most things in secondary.

[aliportico]

Not meaning to be awkward, but I don't think it can be a UKMT challenge, as they happen on set dates - http://www.mathcomp.leeds.ac.uk/individ ... petitions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; As I said above, the Intermediate challenge was before half term (and the solutions are on the website immediately) and the Junior challenge isn't until next term and the schools won't have the papers yet. Perhaps they are doing some practice for the JMC? Or it's something completely different!