Sixth Form mathematicians Inspired at Maths Fest 2025

On Monday 3 February our Sixth Form mathematicians had the fantastic opportunity to attend Maths Fest 2025 at the prestigious Royal Institution in London. Hosted by the renowned mathematician and comedian Matt Parker, the event was packed with engaging talks, fascinating demonstrations and insightful discussions that brought the subject to life.

The day began with an intriguing talk by Katie Steckles on the mathematics of the Rubik’s Cube, revealing the surprising patterns and logic behind solving this classic puzzle. Matthew Scroggs then took us into the world of video games, using mathematics to determine the most efficient way to complete a game of Pac-Man – a challenge that had everyone thinking strategically.

Aoife Hunt provided a fascinating look at crowd dynamics, exploring how people move in large groups. Her insights made us wonder whether her expertise could help optimise movement along our long school corridor between lessons! Rob Eastaway took us back to multiplication in the middle ages, showing how Shakespeare would have approached this fundamental concept and looking at exactly why we use a cross to represent the process.

Nicole Cozens also shared her five top tips for exam successs, offering invaluable advice to our students as they prepare for their A-levels. Meanwhile, our very own James (Year 12) took to the stage to assist James Grimes in demonstrating the concept of randomness, with Nicole (Year 12) also playing a key role in the interactive session.

After lunch some students got their chance to present a mathematical topic to the audience in the Maths Slam, the only restriction being that it had to be completed in three minutes. It was great for students to see their peers talking about some of the maths that interests them; we’d love for our sixth formers to be able to take part in the future.

It was a fantastic day filled with inspiration, discovery and plenty of mathematical curiosity. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the experience, engaging enthusiastically with the speakers and gaining fresh perspectives on the subject. A huge thank you to the organisers of Maths Fest 2025 – we look forward to attending again next year!

“I loved all the interactivity.” Will

“I wish some of the talks were longer because I wanted to find out more.” Reuben

“Even though I didn’t understand all of the maths, the talks were all really interesting so it didn’t matter.” James

“The venue was amazing, I can’t believe we were in the 'actual' Royal Institute.” Mrs Taylor