This friendly, online, inter-school competition gives teams of Year 5 children the opportunity to apply their mathematics knowledge and teamwork skills to solve problems and answer challenging questions, putting their reasoning skills to the test.
The hour-long heats will comprise of a set of 4 equally weighted rounds.
Round 1: General maths questions
Round 2: Estimation round
Round 3: Memory round (completed beforehand)
Round 4: More general maths questions
Each team member will receive a certificate for taking part.
As these titles will suggest, success in the challenge relies on much more than mere mathematical calculation. Teams will be challenged with problem-solving, reasoning, estimation, visualisation, memory and arithmetic from across the mathematics curriculum.
Teams from any school, within Hertfordshire, across the UK and overseas, are warmly welcomed to take part in this competition as all Heats and the Final will be held remotely. Teams will be able to join the competition from their own classrooms or school.
The top 20 scoring teams from across the heats will be invited to take part in the Grand Final. Every finalist will receive a certificate and the winners will receive the trophy, engraved with their school name, to display proudly in school until the next year’s Year 5 Mathematics Challenge takes place.
The 2024 heats have all now taken place and we look forward to welcoming Year 5 teams to the final on the 27th of March.
2025 Year 5 Maths Challenge – Get involved…
Schools can choose between six identical live online heats in the spring term. Schools may enter as many teams as they wish (and across any number of heats), at a cost of £35 per team.
To enter your Year 5 class teams into this year’s HFL Education Year 5 maths challenge, please book onto one of the following heats via the HFL Education Hub.
HEAT 1: Tuesday 11th February 2025, 1:30pm-2:30pm
HEAT 2: Tuesday 11th February 2025, 3:30pm-4:30pm
HEAT 3: Thursday 27th February 2025, 1:30pm-2:30pm
HEAT 4: Thursday 27th February 2025, 3:30pm-4:30pm
HEAT 5: Monday 3rd March 2025, 1:30pm-2:30pm
HEAT 6: Monday 3rd March 2025, 3:30pm-4:30pm
The Grand Final will take place on Tuesday 25th March 2025, 1:30 – 3:10pm, and finalists will be invited to attend following the heats.
Download the HFL Education Year 5 Maths Challenge Event Guidance and Practice Questions for an explanation of structure of the event and a flavour of the types of questions and problems the Year 5 teams will work together to solve.
There are hints and tips about how to solve different types of problem and about how to work well as a team.
Download free practice materials below:
In the live heats and final, teams have up to two minutes to complete each question.
Previous winners
2019
Nascot Wood Junior School, Watford
2020
Pixmore Junior School, Letchworth
2021
The Orchard Primary School, Watford
2022
St Albans High School Prep, St Albans
2023
The Orchard Primary School, Watford
However, to borrow a phrase originally coined about the Olympic Games “The most important thing is not winning but taking part."
David Cook, Teaching and Learning Adviser, Primary Mathematics
Find out more about the 2024 Year 3 and Year 4 maths challenge events.
HFL Education Year 3 maths challenge
HFL Education Year 4 maths challenge
HFL Education Year 6 maths challenge
Sign up to our Primary Maths Newsletter for updates about the Year 5 Mathematics Challenge and from the wider world of primary maths.
For further information about the Year 5 maths challenge or for support with problem-solving and challenge in your school, contact the HFL Education Primary Maths Team at primarymaths@hfleducation.org.
