The idea
Our ultimate mission is to launch as many maths teams as there are football teams in the UK.
When children practice and compete in logic puzzles, they spread the love of maths and academic achievement by representing their school just like the sports teams do. This is crucially important because maths underpins the skills children will need in a tech-led workplace. Your funding will allow us to buy all the equipment we need (see our box design picture, for example) to hold weekly practices run by secondary school students who act as brilliant role models.
Ultimately we want to make maths as cool as football at schools. That means making it visible, including by having team t-shirts, that allow mathletes to go back to school and become role models to their younger peers. This local league is our first prototype. It's a real learning opportunity for us so that when we expand across the borough and eventually across the UK, we do so with our best foot forward.
What we'll deliver
- 10 weeks of 1 hour practises
- maths puzzles curated by experts
- three week competition
- training for coaches and volunteering opportunities for students
- building a pipeline of mentors and role models from year 1 to university
- bespoke branded boxes for each team, including all equipment
- visible markers such as sweatshirts and pins to create awareness among school peers
- a program that can be replicated in other communities
- most of our suppliers and volunteers are on a work break and looking to gain the confidence and skills to return to work
Why it's a great idea
Maths teams nurtures children’s intellectual grit and ambition through puzzles, logic, teamwork and a good dose of fun. We want children to thrive in the tech-driven future they will inherit and to elevate the UK's position in science and the global economy.
Maths teams will allow children to tackle very difficult problems using logic, teamwork and the Socratic method. The UK has a diversity problem in maths and STEM. There are too few girls and children from underprivileged backgrounds thriving in high-value careers. Without maths and logic, children lack the foundation to go beyond very basic coding, robbing them of a future potential. This project is just the start. We are building a pipeline of support from primary school, to secondary school, to university and employment, to close the big talent gap UK companies face.
Steps to get it done
- Creating curriculum
- training coaches
- inviting schools to create teams
- running 10 weeks of weekly practices
- creating competition
- running competition
