Ripon Cathedral Choir School

Year 6 Maths Battle

 Twenty-one four-person teams from schools in North Yorkshire tested their mathematical prowess in the third annual Maths Challenge hosted by the Cathedral Choir School in Ripon.  The event, organised as always by the School’s Deputy Head Mrs Karen Coram, featured tabletop challenges and a maths relay.

The tabletop challenges required the children to solve problems or riddles.  If it takes 3 minutes to boil three eggs how long will it take to boil 9 eggs?  With continuous activity in the tabletop challenges it was difficult to see which teams had the edge, although Coppice Valley and Cundall Manor appeared to visit most of the challenges. 

The maths relay was a timed event with the teams running to collect questions and returning their answers as quickly as possible.  The first team to correctly answer 30 questions stopped the clock.  In the relay it was clear that one team in particular was storming through the answers until they had just one question to solve.   They had to find the cost of buying the correct amount of weed killer for an ‘L’ shaped lawn.  Calculating the area of the lawn was easy, but they had to remember that you cannot buy half a box of weedkiller!  Common sense prevailed and St Joseph’s School from Bishop Thornton, was the first school to answer all questions correctly.

When marks for both challenges were added together St.Joseph’s came out clear winners by 50 points, with Western Primary, Harrogate, (last year’s winners) as runners up.  Bedale and Cundall Manor shared the bronze medals.

It was wonderful to see so many children competing and enjoying their maths.  The Cathedral Choir School is grateful for the continuing support of Brigantia Computers, who sponsored the event for the three years it has run.