Maths Week Scotland

ELC ACTIVITY PACK

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This Maths Week Scotland explore our new ELC activity pack to support learning about maths.

This resource provides adult-led experiences that support high-quality interactions and thoughtfully planned spaces.

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#MWS26

Young mathematicians invited to celebrate Maths Week Scotland in landmark 10th International Maths Olympiad Challenge

Free-to-enter global competition launches as new PISA results reignite focus on numeracy and attainment

Youngsters aged 4 to 14 are being invited to put their mathematical skills to the test as part of Maths Week Scotland 2026, with entries now open for the 10th International Maths Olympiad Challenge.

Organised by Glasgow-based educational technology provider British Youth International College (BYITC), the free-to-enter challenge will run during Maths Week Scotland from 21 to 27 September, giving young learners from around the world the opportunity to compete alongside their peers in a global celebration of mathematics.

The launch comes as the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results highlight the growing importance of raising attainment and engagement in mathematics. The international study, published this week, showed England improving its position in maths, reading and science, while Scotland and Wales recorded lower rankings, reinforcing calls across the education sector for continued investment and innovation to support numeracy and learning outcomes.

Since its launch, participation in the International Maths Olympiad Challenge has grown significantly, with numbers increasing by approximately 60 per cent since 2015 and thousands of students from more than 50 countries now taking part each year.

Notably, around 90 per cent of Olympiad winners to date have come from the UK, demonstrating the strong mathematical talent being developed across the country while also highlighting the opportunity for young people to benchmark their abilities against peers from around the world.

Dr Rashmi Mantri OBE, Founder and CEO of BYITC Supermaths, said: “Reaching the 10th International Maths Olympiad Challenge is a proud milestone for everyone involved with BYITC.

“The latest PISA results have once again sparked important discussions about educational standards and attainment. Opportunities that encourage children to engage positively with mathematics, build confidence and challenge themselves beyond the classroom have never been more important.

“Through the Olympiad, children can experience the excitement of competing on a global stage while strengthening logical thinking, problem-solving abilities and numeracy skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.”

The competition has been designed to encourage children to challenge themselves, improve their speed and accuracy, and develop a positive relationship with mathematics. Open to all children aged 4 to 14, the Olympiad allows participants to test their abilities against age-appropriate challenges in a supportive and competitive environment.

A key feature of the competition is the technology that enables thousands of participants from different locations to take part in a common challenge. BYITC Supermaths has developed sophisticated digital infrastructure to support the online delivery of the Olympiad, including assessment, results processing and participant management at scale.

Dr Mantri added: “One of the most valuable aspects of the Olympiad is the opportunity for children to measure themselves against international peers.

“While UK participants have historically achieved remarkable success, winning around 90 per cent of awards over the years, the competition also exposes children to a truly global learning environment that broadens horizons and inspires ambition.

“Technology has played a vital role in the growth of the Olympiad over the past decade. It allows us to connect children from different countries, provide a seamless competition experience and celebrate mathematical achievement on a global scale.

“Most importantly, the Olympiad demonstrates that mathematics can be exciting, rewarding and accessible to every child.

“As we celebrate Maths Week Scotland, we are encouraging families, schools and young learners to get involved and experience the challenge for themselves.”

Participants will compete for a range of awards, with trophies and certificates presented to winners across the various categories.

The 10th International Maths Olympiad Challenge is free to enter and open to children aged 4 to 14 worldwide.

For more information and to register, visit: International-Maths-Olympiad – British Youth International College.

Funding available for Maths Week Scotland activities

Apply for Maths Week Scotland Grant Funding by 5pm on Sunday 30 August!

Schools, nurseries, early learning & childcare providers, community & family providers & other educational settings can apply for £250 or £500 towards their #MWS2026 activities!

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Maths Week Scotland: “Bring back the abacus – and make maths learning fun”

EdTech entrepreneur responds to calls for Times Tables to be scrapped

An ancient counting tool first used as early as 2,400 BC should be brought back to classrooms if the new UK government decides to scrap times-tables tests, a Scottish business is arguing.

Glasgow-based British Youth International College (BYITC) specialises in teaching maths using the abacus and says the device, which involves sliding beads along a frame to count, can help children perform mathematical calculations faster than a calculator.

Students of the College include 10-year-old Tejas Mittal, who can solve 90 to 100 complex sums mentally in just 60 minutes.

“Instead of memorising numbers – like the multiplications of the times-tables – the abacus teaches children to actually visualise the calculations,” explained Dr Rashmi Mantri, who founded BYITC in 2015 after using an abacus to teach her son basic arithmetic.

“Students are then able to do big calculations mentally without the use of any calculator or paper. The abacus method doesn’t require your child to physically handle one of these ancient instruments. We teach children to visualise the abacus in their heads, then use their fingers to manipulate the imaginary beads.”

The annual Maths Week Scotland takes place from Monday 23rd September, a matter of weeks after news outlets reported that the government might make times-tables tests optional, to simplify the school curriculum.

If this were to become policy in either England or Scotland, abacus maths could be introduced in schools to make maths and arithmetic more fun – and improve learning outcomes, Dr Mantri said.

“Research has shown that abacus learners had 200% better memory than non-abacus learners,” she added.

“Because it’s a visual way of learning – using either a real or a virtual abacus – we find students enjoy it and engage with it more than they might do in a traditional maths lesson. 

“From the thousands of students who learn maths with us, we also believe the abacus method is one of the best confidence-building tools in education. Children who do well at maths tend to have more confidence in other areas of study. And the better they do in school, the more that confidence carries over to areas outside of the classroom.”

Dr Mantri said school pupil Tejas Mittal, from Edinburgh, demonstrated “remarkable speed and accuracy” in mental arithmetic.

She said: “His father tells us that Tejas uses his abacus skills in everyday scenarios, like calculating grocery totals and measuring the carpet areas in square feet of a newly constructed building.”

Tejas’s father, Mukesh Mittal, Senior Delivery Manager at Cognizant, said: “As a parent, I am beyond thrilled with the progress Tejas has made through the Abacus Maths course at BYITC. The transformation has been remarkable, not just in his academic performance but in how he applies maths in daily life.

“Tejas confidently uses his abacus skills in real-world scenarios, impressing us and even our friends and family. We are incredibly grateful to the team at BYITC for their dedication and the positive impact they’ve had on our son’s education and overall development. Thank you for making maths not just a subject but a life skill that Tejas will carry with him always.”

BYITC teaches abacus maths online to students globally through its interactive Supermaths programme, which offers a mix of weekly teacher-led abacus maths classes and online tutorials.

The abacus is thought to have been first used by the Babylonians, an ancient Middle Eastern civilization, as early as 2,400 BC. The device consists of several rows of beads grouped in tens and mounted on a frame. Maths calculations are made by sliding beads back and forth to represent the various numbers in the calculation.

“Fingers, pebble calculators and computers have been used across history to calculate big numbers,” Dr Mantri said. “But the abacus is the one device that stands the test of millennia and is known to be highly effective at training the brain to make mathematical calculations involving huge numbers.”

BYITC says research in countries including Japan has shown that benefits of the abacus method include:

  • Numerical Memory – Learning to do maths on an abacus makes it easier for students to memorise long numbers. A study at Japan’s Shinshu University showed that nine-digit memorisation was ‘fairly easy’ for students
  • Problem-Solving Skills – The abacus method improves problem-solving skills, both in maths and other areas of life. The method teaches children to think through problems logically.
  • Rapid Calculations – Learning maths with the abacus method equips a student to do rapid calculations without the need for electronic devices or writing instruments. All calculations are performed in the head by visualising the abacus.
  • Critical Thinking – The skills learned in the abacus method make students better at critical thinking in other areas of life. They are better able to conceptualise all sorts of challenges. They think through solutions and reach conclusions more easily.

Dr Mantri started teaching her son, Dhruv, maths using the abacus method when he was in Primary 5. By the age of 12, Dhruv – who has featured on TV shows for his “human calculator” skills – was developing web programming tutorials and giving online cyber security seminars. Now 18, he is pursuing a career in data science and analytics.

BYITC holds regular maths competitions to showcase the remarkable skills of its students.

Maths Week Scotland: Maths in Motion

This week will see maths-related activities taking place across the country in the annual Maths Week Scotland programme. The theme of this year’s programme, which is coordinated by National Museums Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government, is Maths in Motion.

Maths Week Scotland: 25 September to 1 October 2023

mathsweek.scot

@mathsweekscot

Maths Week Scotland combines in-person events from Orkney to the Scottish Borders – in a mix of schools programming and public activities in museums, libraries and galleries – with a range of online events, resources and workshops.

The Maths in Motion theme has a huge variety of applications, as the programme shows, with diverse topics ranging from the maths of money to ceilidh dancing, and from nautical navigation to maths in football.

The Scottish Mathematical Council have created a series of football-themed films for of football-themed films for Maths Week Scotland, in conjunction with the Scottish Football Association and featuring the Hearts Women’s team, the Scottish Football Museum and Rugby Park, the home of Kilmarnock Football Club.

The films cover topics as diverse as predicting the outcome of penalty kicks, travel logistics, how to calculate how many people can get through the turnstiles in time for kick-off and the mathematics of the curve on a free kick.

The National Museum of Scotland will host a pop-up exhibition from the Open University entitled Maths in Motion: Pendulums and Patterns, maths-themed Magic Carpet sessions for pre-schoolers, object handling in the Grand Gallery and a maths-themed trail inspired by Dolly the Sheep.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “The Scottish Government is proud to support Maths Week Scotland’s delivery of yet another amazing range of activities to promote the important merits of maths in everyday life.

“We are determined to do everything we can to inspire the next generation of people to engage with maths and the events and workshops on offer will play an important role in doing exactly that.”

Maths Week Scotland coordinator Ailsa Brien said: “We’re delighted to launch Maths Week Scotland in its seventh consecutive year.

“Maths in Motion is a theme which invites a wide range of interpretations and so we’re thrilled to see such a creative and diverse programme of activities and events, which I’m sure will inspire and engage a wide range of audiences.”

Maths Week Scotland is supporting a host of classroom activities for schools across the country, encouraging innovation and participation.

Activity packs are available to download from the Maths Week Scotland website, with ideas of how to celebrate and enjoy the week for everyone from early years to secondary school pupils.

Meanwhile, the daily Maths Week Scotland challenges will return, with accompanying BBC Bitesize learning videos setting out how to tackle them.

Support has also been provided to Scottish museums and galleries to integrate more maths into their programming during the week-long event.

Maths Week Scotland and National Museums Scotland will support maths activities taking place in: The Museum on the Mound, Auchindrain Township Museum, The Scottish Maritime Museum, The Burrell Collection, Sumerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Surgeons’ Hall Museum, The Scottish Fisheries Museum, National Galleries of Scotland and The Great Tapestry of Scotland.

Over 20 libraries are also taking part in Maths Week Scotland, with activities including Maths-themed Bookbug sessions, crafts and LEGO.

Maths Week Scotland has a supporting year-round programme for schools, families, adults and community groups.

This is part of an ongoing drive to transform Scotland into a maths-positive nation through raising the profile of maths and encouraging enthusiasm for maths across the country.

National Museums Scotland is working with a wide range of organisations and collaborators to support and deliver Maths Week Scotland activity across Scotland. For a full list of contributors and to view the whole programme, visit:

www.mathsweek.scot

#mathsweekscot 

@mathsweekscot 

Free access to Supermaths Abacus classes for Maths Week Scotland

To mark the event, the British Youth International College (BYITC) is offering free access to its online abacus tool and games-based lessons

This week, the British Youth International College (BYITC) is offering a free introduction to Abacus Maths.

The Glasgow-based education platform is celebrating the opportunity to raise the profile of Abacus training during the annual Maths Week Scotland, which aims to encourage positive Maths learning with a dedicated programme of events for families and schools.

From 26th September – 2nd October, kids can discover a fun and practical way to improve their maths ability with a free live BYITC Supermaths Abacus Maths class and free two-week access to game-based Abacus lessons to test their skills.

Founder of the BYITC Dr Rashmi Mantri is looking forward to sharing the benefits of this effective arithmetic technique. She said: “Abacus Maths may seem to be more complex, but it actually speeds up the capacity of children to perform heavy calculations.

“We believe this method is the absolute best way to learn Maths, based on scientific research that validates the methodology. Kids who learn Maths using the Abacus method performed better in many areas of life.”

Using the Abacus method, children are taught how to calculate arithmetic sums by visualising an Abacus tool and use their fingers to manipulate imaginary beads. This not only allows them to do rapid mental calculations, but also stimulates cognitive development, improves memory and problem-solving skills, and builds confidence in the classroom and beyond.

Dr Rashmi was inspired to share the learning benefits of Abacus Maths after noticing gaps in her son’s mathematical ability. When then nine-year-old Dhruv was struggling with simple arithmetic, Dr Mantri turned to a humble device she had used in her own childhood to help him.

She said: “It struck me that his inability to compute a simple sum reflected the actual situation of maths skills in a great many children. I decided to change the way he looked at numbers.

“After learning maths using the Abacus method, Dhruv could do mathematical calculations even faster than a calculator.”

Dhruv’s Abacus Maths learning has been so successful that he has even made television appearances to demonstrate his arithmetic skills, and is still involved in creating content and resources for the BYTIC. In fact, the 16-year-old helped develop the games-based Abacus classes that are on offer during Maths Week Scotland.

Originally founded as a local after-school programme in 2015, the BYITC has grown to welcome thousands of students from across the world through online classes, and is now the largest Abacus Maths classes provider in UK.

Since enrolling their son Neev (P6) in a BYITC Abacus Maths course, Ojas and Ashmi Lukhi have noticed a vast improvement in his mathematic ability. They said: “Abacus has helped Neev build his power of visualisation and boost his concentration levels.

“He is able to do calculations much faster and with confidence, and he can apply it to his day-to-day activities.”

Meanwhile, Ananyaa has been taking part in Abacus lessons for just six months. Her parents said: “The impact of it is beyond just her performance in Maths. It has given her a very holistic approach to other things as well.

“It has made her more focused, disciplined and time conscious. She has developed an interest in her work – and has won accolades for her effort.”

The Glasgow-based education platform has also developed the world’s first Abacus Maths e-learning application. Suitable for both desktop and mobile use, the app features a virtual Abacus tool as well as videos, practice questions, classwork and homework so pupils and parents can track their progress.

The success of the Abacus Maths courses speaks not only to the positive benefits of this unique learning method, but also to the BYITC team’s passion for youth education.

Dr Mantri said: “There is nothing better than providing education to someone. We are on a mission to develop new age skills in children and make them more fulfilled human beings.

“We want to make British Youth International College the most trusted brand in the education sector. A brand parents recognise, know they can trust, and give their children a future in our hands.”

Maths Week Scotland returns for sixth year

Maths Week Scotland returns for its sixth and biggest-ever annual event from 26 September to 2 October 2022. This week, pupils, community groups and families in Edinburgh and the Lothians will be enjoying an exciting range of maths-themed activities and events across local schools, science centres and museums.

Part of the Scottish Government’s drive to encourage positive attitudes to numeracy and maths, Maths Weeks Scotland is developed and delivered by National Museums Scotland. This year, the Small Grants Fund – a partnership between the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, the Glasgow Mathematical Journal Trust and the Scottish Government – has supported 67 different classroom activities for schools across the country to encourage pupils to think about maths in a creative way.

The theme for 2022 is the beauty of maths, focusing on the creative and inspiring side of the subject, and how maths plays a vital role in art, music and design. School pupils across Edinburgh and the Lothians will be encouraged to think about maths in a creative way through activities such as art and sculpture exhibitions, budgeting projects, and outdoor learning.

Science centres and museums across Scotland have also received support from Maths Week Scotland for large-scale family activities and workshops as well as programming for schools and community groups that encourage innovation and participation while linking maths with the arts.

Alongside in-person events, Maths Week Scotland has created a fun online programme to inspire and intrigue people of all ages, from schools and educators to families and adults. The virtual programme includes using coding to create art, ideas for hands-on classroom activities, and a mathematical art workshop by mathematician Lucy Rycroft-Smith with a free kit posted to participants.

The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh is organising an exciting programme of maths-themed family events, including free art exhibition (2 October) and a schools programme of renewable energy workshops.

Lauriston Castle in Edinburgh is launching the ‘Maths Attack’ trail around the estate to teach pupils about how to use and make their own set of Napier’s Bones – a calculation device for multiplying large numbers.

Edinburgh’s National Galleries of Scotland is showcasing Scotland’s art through a mathematical lens with an online resource for schools and gallery visits to Modern One.

The University of Edinburgh is organising an exciting programme of events, with a display of geometric illuminations and optical illusions at James Clerk Maxwell Building (1 October) as well as virtual (27-28 September) and hands-on (1 October) maths activities for families. The university is also providing workshops for teachers and educators to inspire ideas for practical maths activities in the classroom.

Museum on the Mound is hosting online and in-person ‘Money Maths’ workshops to explore different money around the world.

On 29 September, Surgeons’ Hall Museum is arranging school workshops on using investigating bones and surgical equipment as well as a drop-in session for the general public on 1 October.

Stockbridge Library and Moredun Library are hosting Bookbug sessions and art activities for individuals and families.

Katie Oldfield, Maths Week Scotland co-ordinator, said: “We are thrilled to be launching Maths Week Scotland for its sixth consecutive year with such a bang.

“Mathematicians often refer to the subject as ‘beautiful’, and our aim is to inspire families, schools and community groups in Edinburgh and the Lothians to view maths in a new way and to find it in unexpected places, such as art and music.

“We are so excited to be bringing back more interactive, in-person events at schools and public venues across the country. It’s brilliant to see that so many schools have devised fun and engaging activities for pupils to discover how creative maths can be.”

The schools programme is core to Maths Week Scotland. Schools and community projects receiving grants in Edinburgh and the Lothians are:

Edinburgh:

·       Ferryhill Primary School – Skatepark Maths: Pupils P1-7 will create their own skateparks for finger skateboards

·       Edinburgh Council Libraries: Three primary schools exploring outdoor space at Newington Library

·       Bruntsfield Primary School: Creation of an exciting outdoor learning space

·       Gilmerton Primary School – Financial and Budgeting: Pupils will be given a budget and go shopping for ingredients to create a nutritious meal

·       Number Berries Maths Play Club: Mini Exhibition of art and sculptures inspired by manmade structures and nature

·       Corstorphine Primary School: Beauty of Maths exhibition

Lothians:

·       Cedarbank School: Exhibition of numeracy themed artwork created by pupils and their families

·       Polkemmet Primary School: Beauty of Maths art exhibition for families

·       Pinewood School – Maths Week Scotland Sale: Materials will be purchased to craft items to sell at a Maths Week Scotland sale to practice recognising coins and budgeting 

Maths Week Scotland is supported by winner of The Great British Bake Off 2020, Peter Sawkins.

Maths Week Scotland has a supporting year-round programme for schools, families, adults, and community groups. This is part of an ongoing drive to transform Scotland into a maths-positive nation through raising the profile of maths and encouraging enthusiasm for maths across the country.

National Museums Scotland is working with a wide range of organisations and collaborators to support and deliver Maths Week Scotland activity across Scotland.

For a full list of contributors and to view the whole programme, visit:

www.mathsweek.scot

Our World: Maths Week Scotland

Maths Week Scotland 27 September – 3 October 2021

mathsweek.scot

#mathsweekscot

@mathsweekscot

Maths Week Scotland is back for its fifth year from 27 September to 3 October 2021. Local schools across Edinburgh, Lothians and Scottish Borders are joining in the fun with a wide range of activities and exciting programmes taking place during the week.

Maths Week Scotland is part of the Scottish Government’s drive to encourage positive attitudes to numeracy and maths and is developed and delivered by National Museums Scotland. The Small Grants Fund, a partnership between the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, the Glasgow Mathematical Journal Trust and the Scottish Government, has supported 75 activities across the country. These activities are taking place in schools and local community groups.

The theme for 2021 is ‘Our World’, exploring the importance of maths in understanding and responding to the climate emergency, whilst also finding maths in the world around us. School pupils across Edinburgh, Lothians and Scottish Borders will learn about this crucial topic through activities such as outdoor learning, a Maths Enrichment club and a mini beast project.

Science centres and museums across Scotland have also received additional funding from Maths Week Scotland to support in a series of activities and challenges encouraging innovation and participation.

Edinburgh’s five star visitor attraction, Dynamic Earth, will be launching a digital workshop on the topic of ‘Navigating Our World’, to explore how successful navigation was achieved in the past, and how it is now done in the present day.

Edinburgh Central library is hosting a free, drop-in shape and number trail for under 10s, plus additional maths and STEM books will be available to take out on loan.

The National Mining Museum Scotland in Newtongrange will also be host to a number of maths-themed activities for young visitors, including a mining version of snakes and ladders, quoits, bean bag toss, making patterns with coal, dressing up as a miner and handling mining objects.

Meanwhile, in East Lothian, Prestongrange Museum, John Muir’s Birthplace Museum, Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery and John Gray Centre will all be launching maths-related trails and activities linked to each specific site.

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery will launch a time-related activity based on the clock and two sundials on the exterior of the building, while events at the John Gray Centre will focus on money and transactions, reflecting the commercial history or East Lothian and linking to trade tokens on display.

Katie Oldfield, Maths Week Scotland co-ordinator, said: “We’re proud to be bringing Maths Week Scotland back for its fifth consecutive year. It’s great to see that so many schools have come up with exciting activities that reflect our theme for this year.

“Maths is found everywhere in the world around us, but it is also a key part of the solution when it comes to tackling climate change. It was really inspiring to see many of our schools presenting this sometimes complex subject in a fun and engaging way.”

The schools programme is core to Maths Week Scotland. Schools and community projects receiving grants in Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders are:

·         Stenhouse Primary School: Taking Maths Outdoors – Numeracy and outdoor learning equipment

·         Balerno High School: Maths Enrichment Club – setting up a Maths Enrichment club at lunchtimes to support enjoyment and develop problem solving and team work skills in Maths.

·         Oxgangs Maths Club: Families can do maths together

·         Edinburgh Central Library: Maths Week at the Library – Central Library and the Children’s Library are hosting a variety of fun Maths-themed events for adults and children, from pattern-making to Möbius strips!

West Lothian

·         Greenrigg Primary School: Mini-beast Maths

Midlothian

·         Stobhill Primary school: Let’s get Creative at Stobhill!- interactive maths kits

Borders

·         Berwickshire High School: Mathematics and citizenship of the world

This year, Maths Week Scotland is also supported by winner of The Great British Bake Off 2020, Peter Sawkins, in collaboration with National Numeracy.

Peter is hosting a virtual assembly on 29 September, which will be streamed from the National Museum of Scotland to participating schools to learn about the maths involved in baking.

Maths Week Scotland has a supporting year-round programme for schools, families, adults and community groups. This is part of an ongoing drive to transform Scotland into a maths-positive nation through raising the profile of maths and encouraging enthusiasm for maths across the country.

National Museums Scotland is working with a wide range of organisations and collaborators to support and deliver Maths Week Scotland activity across Scotland.

For a full list of contributors and to view the whole programme, visit: 

www.mathsweek.scot

National competition launches to improve maths skills during Maths Week Scotland

Prizes to be awarded to winners in each category

To celebrate Maths Week Scotland, 28th September to the 4th October , students across Scotland will be competing in the M-Fluencer Maths Week Quest learning challenge to boost engagement in maths, improve attainment and win prizes for their school.

Now open for entries for schools with students from any year group, ranging from Reception to S6. Participants will be tasked with completing a series of online maths challenges, with each challenge adding to the school’s total score. Amazon vouchers and digital certificates will be awarded to the top 10 schools. 

All learning activities included in the competition are aligned to Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and support the Government’s commitment to ‘making maths count’; an initiative that is becoming increasingly important to increase Scotland’s maths attainment.

The competition, run by maths mastery resource provider Mangahigh, is open to all schools across Scotland, both existing users and non-users. From 28th September all schools registered for the competition can access Mangahigh math’s resource free of charge. 

Mohit Midha, CEO and co-founder of Mangahigh, said, “Each student from early years to upper secondary school age can take part free of charge. The maths activities on Mangahigh are designed in a fun ‘game’ format to really engage the students and encourage them to return for more while developing their conceptual knowledge of key maths topics.”

For full prize details and to register for entry free of charge, teachers and schools should visit:https://www.mangahigh.com/en-gb/competitions/maths-week-scotland