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Extension work for maths Year 8 / maths olympiad type stuff

6 replies

ickywickyyicky · 30/09/2012 13:21

I am trying to find out a bit more about this before parents evening for a girl from overseas (english is her 2nd language). She has already done some elements of lower 6th maths - she was doing maths olympiad stuff overseas. She needs to consolidate her maths vocab, but in terms of doing papers would easily score an A at GCSE.

I am of the opinion that, this year, she is better being stretched sideways in maths, exploring problems etc, as she is also consolidating her english.

So I have two questions:

How do teachers normally deal with this, and can she be allowed to do Year 11 / L6 work in class?

Are there any fun books of maths puzzles, relating concepts to real life etc, that are easy to read and would keep her love of maths alive? What kind of things do children who are into the maths olympiad stuff like doing?

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gelo · 30/09/2012 13:40

nrich website has good maths puzzles & a forum. UKMT have a series of books designed for olympiad mathematicians. National cipher challenge seems to appeal to quite a few of them and they also often get into and take to computer programming too.

Unfortunately teachers often like them to do the same as the rest of the class for at least the majority of the lesson in my experience.

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ickywickyyicky · 30/09/2012 13:49

The kid is bored witless - but is very polite and doesn't like to rock the boat so to speak. But she did ask me if she could ask to join an older class! I'd heard of nrich - but not UKMT or the national cipher challenge - so thanks for those!

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gelo · 30/09/2012 14:19

UKMT are the organisation that runs the maths olympiads in the UK. She should definitely enter the intermediate maths challenge this year (with a view to getting through to and doing very well at the year 8 Olympiad (Cayley, I think it's called), and possibly the senior maths challenge too and from that maybe BMO1 and possibly 2.

UKMT also invite high scorers to maths summer schools, but I have a feeling those are for year 9 and up, and may possibly also be restricted to those qualified to represent UK at IMO (not sure what the rules for this are, but I suspect as a non national she would need to have been resident for some years at least).

I think to join sixth form students may well be a mistake at this stage - it's hard to say, but there is always the problem of where you go next if you get too far ahead in maths. Better to get really good at solving difficult problems using simpler maths first and as you say especially while she is consolidating her english.

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xing · 03/10/2012 16:42

I think anyone can enter Senior math challege, as long as you don't exceed upper age limit.

Also overseas students will be treated the same if she is already in UK as long as she has valid visa to cover the math summer school period.

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xing · 03/10/2012 18:05

Also another thought is that she can takes GCSE now if she is ready. And the she will get more time to focus on other subjects or go on to do A level.

When my nephew came from China, the teacher asked him to complete all the math homework in the books to make sure he did master the contents. He then allowed to do GCSE and As level one year earlier.

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Bonsoir · 03/10/2012 18:08

Once this girl has consolidated her English maths vocabulary (and knows her number facts in English with instant recall), it would be very cruel not to let her move ahead in mathematics.

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