The Year 7 Maths Challenge and Year 8 Maths Challenge are designed as informal, friendly inter-school competitions, designed to challenge young mathematicians. They require excellent communication, problem-solving and team-working skills, as well as mathematical skill and insight.
Each challenge is divided into four equally weighted rounds:
Round 1: General maths questions
Round 2: Memory round
Round 3: Estimation round
Round 4: More general Maths questions
Success in the challenges relies on much more than mere mathematical calculation. Many of the activities are accessible to most Y7/Y8 students, not just higher attainers.
Please refer to the document below for more details regarding the rules and format of the challenges:
Dates and information for this year’s challenges
The challenges are open to any school, inside or outside Hertfordshire. Each school may enter up to and including three teams for each challenge. Each team takes part in one of four heats. The best performing teams from the heats are invited to take part in the Final.
The heats take place online. A member of staff will need to be present to supervise, but they require a minimum of preparation.
The final takes place as a face-to-face event in Stevenage; remote participation will not be possible.
The overall winners of each challenge will receive a trophy, engraved with the names of previous winners, for display within their school for the following year.
The dates of the heats and final are given below. Starting times differ between the heats, to allow for different schools’ finishing times, so please take careful note when booking.
Places may be booked by visiting the HFL Hub via the relevant hyperlink below:
In case of any difficulty completing your booking, please contact Sandra Penstone-Smith in the Events Team (sandra.penstone-smith@hfleducation.org).
Year 7 Maths Challenge 2024
| Heat | Date | Time |
| 1 | Wednesday 28th February | 3.30 to 5.00 |
| 2 | Monday 4th March | 4.00 to 5.30 |
| 3 | Tuesday 5th March | 3.30 to 5.00 |
| 4 | Thursday 7th March | 4.00 to 5.30 |
| Final | Thursday 25th April (TBC) | 2.00 to 4.00 |
Year 8 Maths Challenge 2024
| Heat | Date | Time |
| 1 | Monday 29th April | 3.30 to 5.00 |
| 2 | Thursday 2nd May | 4.00 to 5.30 |
| 3 | Tuesday 7th May | 3.30 to 5.00 |
| 4 | Wednesday 8th May | 4.00 to 5.30 |
| Final | Monday 1st July | 2.00 to 4.00 |
Previous winners
Year 7 Maths Challenge
2018 Chauncy School, Ware
2019 Chauncy School, Ware
2020 Broxbourne School
2021 Marriots School, Stevenage
2022 Dame Alice Owen's School
2023 Beaumont School, St.Albans
Year 8 Maths Challenge
2018 Roundwood Park, Harpenden
2019 Chauncy School, Ware
2020
2021 Watford Grammar School for Boys
2022 Priory School, Hitchin
2023 Parmiter’s School, Watford
To borrow a phrase originally coined about the Olympic Games “The most important thing is not winning but taking part."
William Thallon, Teaching and Learning Adviser, Secondary Mathematics
