By Mr Jeffryes (Head of Mathematics)

Our Year 11 Maths in Action trip took place last Wednesday 12th November 2025 at the University of Warwick. It’s fair to say that not all 67 students who attended were expecting the maths on show to be quite so entertaining and fascinating, but a real mathematical treat awaited them (and the six maths teachers who accompanied them).

The day began with a talk from Kit Yates, a professor from the University of Bath, on solving problems that follow non-linear patterns. This was followed by a lecture from Sophie Maclean (who has worked as a quantitative trader and software engineer previously) exploring the surprising connections between colour and mathematics. The morning session ended with Darren Macey, an education researcher, who discussed how we can use statistics to make better decisions about real-life issues, including predicting the future of global warming and ideas as to how best to reduce the probability of a big increase.

After lunch, students received insider tips on approaching their exams with confidence, avoiding common pitfalls, and maximising their marks. Hopefully they are now feeling more prepared than ever for their upcoming IGCSEs!

The most interactive and entertaining sessions were saved for the afternoon. Zoe Griffiths (a maths magician) amazed the audience with a series of calculator and card-based maths tricks, assisted by our very own Manpriya, who made an excellent magician’s helper. To round off the day, Dr Colin Wright wowed everyone by demonstrating how mathematical patterns can help you learn to juggle three, four, or even five balls.

It was truly a day to remember, with many students heading home realising that maths happens everywhere, including some very surprising places, and maybe, just maybe, they now like maths a little bit more than before!

Lily W (Year 11) said: “It was interesting to use numbers outside normal quadratics and algebra and instead to represent juggling patterns in sequences for example. The speakers were inspirational and educational but also entertaining and humorous. They integrated the audience cleverly and even Manpriya went to the stage to participate in a maths magic trick. From that day, it has inspired me to perhaps continue with mathematics beyond Sixth Form.”

Emma W-W (Year 11) added: “The Maths in Action trip was really interesting. The lecturers were captivating, the topics they explored were exciting and have inspired me. My favourite talk was by Dr Colin Wright, he spoke about patterns and had some amazing juggling skills.”