This June, we welcomed students for our annual Maths Partnership Day, running across Thursday 18 and Friday 19 June. Spread across two cohorts and two days of activities, the event brought together a rich mix of hands-on challenges, deep mathematical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving.
Both days kicked off with Puzzles and Problems during the arrival slot, setting the tone nicely for what was to follow. From there, students moved into four structured sessions across the day, covering a diverse range of topics.
Thursday's highlights included an exploration of lattice methods and area, a perennial favourite in the form of Sticky Tape and Spaghetti (always a reliable test of structural intuition), and a session on Chomp and Other Games, which gave students the chance to think about combinatorial strategy. A Cypher Challenge in the Physics Corridor added a codebreaking flavour to the early afternoon.
Friday offered a different mathematical menu. Students tackled Modular Arithmetic, Advanced Counting, and Hidden Connections, three topics that reward careful reasoning and pattern spotting. The Engineering Challenge replaced the Cypher slot, bringing a more practical, problem-solving dimension to the afternoon.
Both days closed with a Team Challenge, giving students the chance to apply their knowledge in a competitive manner. It was a fantastic showcase of the breadth and creativity that mathematics has to offer, and a reminder that the subject extends well beyond the classroom.
