ILKLEY Grammar School maths students recently took part in the nationally recognised Intermediate Maths Challenge and six of their students performed so well that they qualified to be amongst the UK participants in the international Maths Kangaroo.

From Year 9 Matthew Hall, Jamie Spiller and Sophie Armitage qualified for their age category and Matthew even finished amongst the top 25 per cent nationally, receiving a merit certificate.

From Year 11 James Flanagan, Rebecca Hall and Nathan Spiller all received a merit certificate, an astounding achievement.

Further maths success was achieved by a talented quartet who had entered the Edge Hill University Challenge. Jamie Spiller, Nathan Foster, Euan Savage and Jasper Evans made it through to Edge Hill Mathematics Finals at Edge Hill University, Ormskirk on Wednesday, July 1 and came second taking away the Newton Prize.

Susan Davey, Maths teacher, was thrilled with their success. She said: "This is quite an achievement as it is a national competition which hundreds of schools enter and over several months there are three rounds.

"In the final round today the boys were up against the 30 remaining schools. As well as solving and presenting some high level maths problems, the boys have been committed enough to give up over a terms worth of lunchtimes (and a few evenings) in order to get this far. As expected the boys were fantastic ambassadors for our school on what was a very hot day."