Maths whizzes at a WNAT school were put through their paces, and found very much equal to the challenge, when they entered a new maths competition aimed solely at girls.

The sixth-form students from Springwood High School in King’s Lynn were among the first to take part in the inaugural UK Maths Trust (UKMT) Mathematical Competition for Girls (MCG) – where they also ranked amongst the highest scorers.

“It is a new opportunity designed to inspire and challenge young female mathematicians from across the UK,” said Springwood’s Key Stage 5 Maths Lead, Ben Coote.

“The paper consisted of five, difficult, problem-solving questions. The top 25 per cent of students received a Certificate of Distinction, and the next 40 per cent a Certificate of Merit. Students who scored below the Merit threshold, received a Certificate of Participation.

We had five students competing – two achieved Merit, and three got Distinction."

The Springwood highfliers, who are all in Years 12 and 13, included Cadence Fordham, Rachel Chalmers, and Holly MacGowan with Distinctions; and Sara Mohammed and Sydney Hipwell with Merits.

As the leading British charity for the promotion of mathematical education in young people, UKMT runs a series of maths competitions and challenges throughout the year, including the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (MOG), which attracted almost 5,000 entries in 2024.

Matching their classmates’ performances in the MCG, Springwood students also reached the upper regions of the MOG leaderboard, with Emily Adcock in Year 12 and Nastia Kliuchnyk in Year 13 both achieving Merits.