Students from Northern Education Trust secondary academies have recorded an impressive set of results in this year’s UK Maths Trust (UKMT) challenges, competing alongside more than 700,000 students across the country.
UKMT is a national charity dedicated to developing young people’s mathematical ability through a series of highly regarded competitions, as well as enrichment programmes that include mentoring and pathways to the prestigious UKMT Summer School.
This year, students from eight Northern Education Trust academies—Dyke House, Freebrough, Hetton, Kearsley, Kirk Balk, Red House, Thorp and Walbottle—took part in the annual challenges, testing their reasoning, accuracy and problem-solving skills.
A range of challenges across year groups
Participants entered one of three competitions depending on their year group:
- Junior Maths Challenge for Years 7 and 8
- Intermediate Maths Challenge for Years 9 and 10
- Senior Maths Challenge for Years 12 and 13
Each challenge consists of a timed multiple-choice paper lasting between 60 and 90 minutes, designed to push students beyond routine calculations and encourage deeper mathematical thinking.
High-scoring students were then invited to progress to more advanced rounds, including the Kangaroo and Olympiad competitions.
Outstanding results across the trust
Northern Education Trust students achieved a remarkable number of awards across all three levels:
- Junior Maths Challenge: 92 bronze, 45 silver and 9 gold awards, with three students qualifying for the Kangaroo round and one progressing to the Olympiad
- Intermediate Maths Challenge: 57 bronze, 19 silver and 7 gold awards; three students advanced to the Kangaroo stage and two reached the Olympiad, earning invitations to the UKMT Summer School—an honour reserved for just 1.5% of entrants nationwide
- Senior Maths Challenge: Five bronze awards and one silver award
Individual achievements celebrated
Among the many successes, Joshua and Ellen from Thorp Academy stood out for their exceptional performances. Joshua advanced through the Intermediate Maths Challenge to the Hamilton Olympiad, securing an invitation to the National Mathematics Summer School at the University of Oxford. The week-long residential programme will allow him to work alongside students and teachers from across the UK while exploring advanced mathematical concepts and problem-solving techniques.
Ellen excelled in the Junior Maths Challenge, progressing to the Junior Olympiad, where she achieved a distinction and a gold award.
Raising aspirations through mathematics
Michael Forrest, Senior Director of Maths at Northern Education Trust, praised the students’ achievements, highlighting the significance of national recognition. He said the high number of certificates earned demonstrates both talent and commitment, and that opportunities such as working with Oxford University help inspire students across the trust to aim high.