QUEEN Elizabeth’s School in Crediton has won the Ted Wragg Trust’s yearly maths challenge for the second time.  

The trust, which runs 16 schools across Devon, started the challenge two years ago.  

Only a few schools competed initially but as many as eight took part this year.  

Eight schools took part this year
Eight schools took part this year (Ted Wragg Trust)

The competition took place at St James School in Exeter on Tuesday, June 25 and teams of eight students went head-to-head to win the coveted shield.  

Teams came from St James School, St Luke’s Church of England School, Isca Academy, West Exe School, Cranbrook Education Campus, Matford Brook Academy, Queen Elizabeth’s School and Marine Academy Plymouth. 

Overseen and organised by staff members Josh Godfrey, Alex Pugh and Kirstie Nixon, the challenge started with the year groups working together on questions that are related to the maths syllabus based on their fundamental learning.  

A speed round followed, where students had to complete rounds of five different tasks in five minutes each based on mathematical, outside-the-box, number problem-solving challenges. The challenge concluded with a maths quiz. 

West Exe School won the first maths challenge two years ago and Queen Elizabeth’s School won last year. 

This year, although it was close with a tie-break between Queen Elizabeth’s and St James for first place, St James was finally pipped to the post by a triumphant Queen Elizabeth's with six extra digits of pi. 

“I am so proud of all the students who took part in this year’s maths challenge,” Ted Wragg Trust CEO Moira Marder said. 

“It’s great to see so many young people getting stuck into maths and always wonderful to see students from across our schools coming together.” 

Kirstie Nixon, Deputy Leader of Maths at St James added: “I was delighted to help organise the maths challenge and it was great to see the enthusiasm from students across the Ted Wragg Trust for maths.  

“It’s brilliant that the trust champions the subject so strongly and I know we have some excellent budding mathematicians in our schools.” 

Each participating school also brought along four student volunteers from year seven and four from year eight interested in the subject.