NUMBERS and problem solving were the order of the day for children in Chippenham last week, as they came together to put their maths skills to the test.

Held for the second time at Hardenhuish School, three secondary schools and 14 primary schools took part in the event dubbed the Chippenham Clusters Maths Challenge. Pupils from Year 1, 3, 5 and 7 took part in the event, which saw mixed teams of different ages and abilities compete for medals by completing work sheets.

“The idea is to get those that aren’t necessarily the best at maths, to get them engaged and give them confidence because it can sometimes be a bit daunting,” said Lesley Pierce, of maths faculty administrator at Hardenhuish School.

“This is the second year we have done it but last year was more a trial run.

“It’s quite an administration and logistical challenge to get all these schools and pupils together.”

The event was formed after regular meetings between maths teachers from schools in Chippenham, with many of them attending the event last Friday (May 20) morning to help pupils and mark their work.

“It enables our children to make friends from other schools,” said Nikita Reid, from Queen’s Crescent who organised the event alongside Kathryn Merriman.

“They are engaged, they show resilience and do work more.”

“It’s fun, some of the work sheets have been easier and some hard but we like doing them,” said Grace Ferris, a pupil from Charter Primary School.