A class of Primary 7 pupils from Whitehirst Park Primary School in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire have won Scotland’s first ever nationwide online maths contest, organised by education technology social enterprise Sumdog.
Commencing on the 12th May and coinciding with 2017 National Digital Learning Week, the week-long contest saw more than 2,000 classes from more than 500 schools throughout Scotland competing to win a coveted trophy and the title of Scottish Sumdog maths champions.
Pupils taking part worked together as a class to answer as many maths questions as possible over the duration of the contest, using Sumdog’s innovative online game-based learning system. Primary 7b pupils from Whitehirst Park Primary School scooped the top prize with a winning score of 934.
Running from the 15th to the 19th May, the theme of this year’s National Digital Learning Week was “Digital Difference”, with teachers and pupils encouraged to share and celebrate digital approaches that make a positive impact on classroom practice.
Higher Education, Further Education and Science Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville presented the champions’ trophy to pupils from the winning Whitehirst Park Primary class during a visit to Sumdog’s headquarters in Edinburgh last week.
Sumdog is a game-based learning system specifically designed to improve skills and attainment in maths and literacy and carefully aligned to the Curriculum for Excellence. It has proven success in addressing educational attainment in pupils from the most deprived backgrounds and today is regularly used in half of all Scottish schools.
Presenting Primary 7b pupils from Whitehirst Park Primary School with their winning trophy, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Minister for Higher Education, Further Education and Science, said: “Congratulations to class P7b from Whitehirst Park primary on winning the Sumdog Scottish maths challenge.
“This is a great achievement and I am honoured to present them with their award. Well done also to Sumdog on running their first Scottish-wide competition as part of our National Digital Learning Week. This has been well received and has been a great demonstration of how digital technology can be used to make a positive difference to teaching and learning. We must continue to take full advantage of the opportunities that digital technology offers to enrich learning and enhance teaching throughout the curriculum.”
Whitehirst Park Primary School, Head Teacher Lynn Robertson said: “All of the pupils in Primary 7b are absolutely thrilled to have won the contest. For some of them to get the opportunity to come along to the Scottish Parliament to be presented with their trophy is particularly special. They really enjoyed the experience of working together as a class. Considering the number of classes and schools that took part, it’s a fantastic achievement to have won and we’re really proud of them.”
Sumdog CEO Andrew Hall said: “We’re delighted that so many classes from so many schools across Scotland have taken part in this, Scotland’s first ever nationwide online maths contest. On behalf of everyone at Sumdog, I’d like to express my huge congratulations to all Primary 7b pupils at Whitehirst Park Primary School on becoming the first ever Scotland-wide Sumdog maths champions.
“Digital technology is becoming an increasingly important and powerful tool for teachers and pupils in the classroom. Used properly, we believe it can make a real and meaningful contribution towards encouraging learning and improving attainment. With this in mind, we’re really pleased to have been able to make our own unique contribution to this year’s National Digital Learning Week by organising this nationwide contest.
“We’re hugely grateful to all schools who took part for their efforts and for making the contest such a great success. I would also like to thank the Minister for finding time in her busy schedule to present our winners with their trophy.”
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