8 July 2004

Year 7 pupils from across Wales were in Cardiff yesterday to showcase maths games they had designed themselves. The first prize of £1500, a plaque and a tour of BBC Wales was awarded to Ysgol Gyfun Aberaeron, Ceredigion. The second prize of £1000 was awarded to Conwy’s Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan and St Christopher’s School, Wrexham won £500 in the Highly Commended category.

The judging panel at the awards ceremony at the All Nations Centre included weather presenter Sian Lloyd, as well as teachers, and representatives from MathCymru and local and national businesses.

The competition was run as part of the National Basic Skills Strategy for Wales, which is being overseen by the Basic Skills Agency on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government. The aim of the competition is to develop numeracy skills amongst Year 7 pupils across Wales, and to encourage them to see maths as something that can be fun. The pupils were told to design a game that could be played by Year 6 pupils that was fun and would improve their numeracy skills. The games were put forward as the best entry from schools in their Local Education Authority (LEA).