A new format for the popular Maths Mastermind competition at Chilton Primary School in Ramsgate has been voted a winner.
Contestants, pupils and families in the audience, and staff have all given the thumbs up to the restructured competition that focuses on team performance.
Instead of individual pupils competing in the Mastermind big black chair to test their times table knowledge against the clock, the challenge has been expanded.
It is now a battle between the school’s four houses – Saxons, Vikings, Romans and Normans – with the four-person team made up of pupils from Years 3,4,5 and 6.
As well as answering rapid fire times tables posers against the clock, the team members also faced difficult multiplication sums and maths word problems in two extra rounds.
Despite a very close contest Vikings led from the start and claimed the title of the first Maths Mastermind champs of the 2018/19 school year.
The new format was devised by teachers Amy Lane, who is Chilton’s maths leader, and the school’s enrichment leader Alex McAuley.
They said: “The pupils performed extremely well. This is a new way of presenting the Maths Mastermind for all of us. It has more challenges and a greater range of problem-solving skills are needed.”
Head of School Kate Law was so impressed that she awarded the winners an unprecedented 1,000 house points, with runners up Romans gaining 750 points, Saxon (third) receiving 500 points and Normans earning 250 points.
She said: “Wow – what a brilliant competition. Everyone was on the edge of their seats as the contest reached its climax. The cheering from the audience was deafening.
“I really enjoyed the new format and it certainly tested a wider range of Maths skills. It is really tough trying to focus when you are put on the spot and questions are coming at you so fast. Every competitor deserves a huge ‘well done’.
“I am sure we will welcome back our old friend the Mastermind chair and our original format from time to time – but I am so pleased at how the new ideas worked. At Chilton we love to welcome new ideas right throughout the school.”
Maths Mastermind is held three times each school year and the next challenge is in the New Year