Tuesday, 11 May 2021
There wasn’t a calculator in sight as the most mathematically gifted students from Years 5 and 6 across NSW joined the inaugural Newcastle Permanent Primary School Online Mathematics Team Challenge last week.
After a hiatus last year due to COVID, the traditional annual Maths Camp was revamped to make a virtual return in 2021. Students from schools who placed in the top 25 in the 2020 Year 5 Division of the Newcastle Permanent Mathematics Competition were invited to show their maths muscle.
More than 120 students from 21 schools dialled in from locations across the state including Newcastle, Rutherford, the Hunter Valley, Central Coast, Grafton and Armidale.
During the course of the hour, students first undertook a mathematics speed test which saw them race to answer 20 questions against the rapidly ticking clock. After a quick heads or tails maths warm up while marks were tallied, the primary school girls and boys then faced their biggest challenge: the group test.
For 40 minutes the students worked together in teams to devise the answers to 20 complex questions designed to challenge their mathematics and problem solving skills.
After another challenging round of mathematics heads or tails, the kids were on the edge of their seats as the final results were entered and the final placings determined.
In the end New Lambton South Public School took first place, Newcastle East Public School finished second and Hunter Valley Grammar School rounded out the top three.
Teachers were thrilled with our first online Maths Challenge event and said it gave students a chance to test their knowledge with their peers.
“Thank you so much! This was such an awesome experience for the students!” said Deb from Belair.
“Thank you for organising today. The students all enjoyed themselves and had a fantastic time extending themselves in their application of their Mathematics skills,” added Vanessa from St Therese’s New Lambton.