News

Students test themselves against the best

Just before the Christmas vacation several students from years 11, 12 and 13 entered the UKMT Senior Maths Challenge. This is a true test of mathematical skills, logic, ingenuity and flexibility and yet again several students from Dane Court stood up to the challenge.
William Grover from year 13 achieved a Gold Award and the 'Best in School Award', whilst Adam Jones and Sarah Harley from year 12 both gained a Silver. Rhiannon Hiscock and Mhari Stevenson from year 12 achieved Bronzes whilst Xinming Yu from year 11 was awarded the same level.
Well done to everybody who took part

NSPCC Number Day

On 2 December all students in year seven took part in NSPCC Number Day, where they were given the opportunity to be part of the 'World's Biggest Maths Day'. The maths lessons were based around cracking codes and to heighten awareness of the work done by the NSPCC and Childline. Donations were kindly received from year seven students for taking part in the activities and as a result we will be sending a cheque to the NSPCC for £214.

Going back in time

ENIGMA was one of the most powerful weapons of World War II - an apparently unbreakable code used to transmit German military intelligence.
So how did a small group of mathematicians crack it?

On 10 January 2012 students from years 7 and 8 were given the opportunity to see one of the few remaining World War II Enigma Machines. After an initial presentation from James Grimes from Cambridge University the students were given a chance in workshops throughout the day to crack different difficulty level codes using the same principles that were used during the War. It was a very special day with students seeing how Mathematics can be used in a totally different guise.