Pupils at Charlton Primary School in Wantage have enjoyed participating in this year’s ‘Maths in Motion’ junior challenge.

The competition, open to any school, involves pupils setting up their F1 racing cars to their maximum potential in order to race against drivers and teams from other schools using online software.

During weekly sessions pupils work in teams to work out how to construct their cars for optimal performance, and then race as individual drivers.

Just like in real F1, the year 6 pupil ‘drivers’ compete against each other for points.

There is also a Constructors’ Team table.

Competitors need to consider things like safe speeds, ideal suspension and gear ratios and try them out on ‘practice laps’, upon which grid positions are determined.

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Once drivers are set up on the grid, you press ‘go’ and the software takes over, displaying a race commentary as the race progresses.

Teacher Chris Walters who leads the Maths in Motion project at the school, said: “It’s our second year being involved and it’s going from strength to strength.

“Pupils really enjoy applying and enhancing their maths skills in real life scenarios, working collaboratively to achieve success and win.

“They really enjoy the competitive element and it’s fantastic to hear them chatting about engine temperatures, tyre choice and fuel requirements in such a knowledgeable and enthusiastic way.”

Throughout the year, knockout rounds are held, culminating in a World Final, all online.

There are also ‘just for fun’ events and monthly competitions.

Mrs Walters added: “Pupils will have completed 14 races by the end of the year, the last one being the Singapore Grand Prix – a gruelling 80 laps! It’s maths enrichment at its best and a brilliant way of introducing pupils to STEM subjects."

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Pupil Carys Galvin said: “The maths is harder than we do in class, and it’s good to work in a team. It’s really good fun – especially the racing!”

Classmate Max Buckingham added: “It’s good to test things out on the practice laps and think about your pit-stop strategy. You get an idea of what working in F1 would be like.”

Head of School at Charlton Primary, Michelle Rooke, said: This has been such a popular project and typifies the breadth of maths teaching at Charlton.

“The pupils have been engrossed from the very beginning.”

Charlton Primary School is part of The Vale Academy Trust.

The trust was formed in 2013 and there are now eight current member academies; two secondary schools and six primary academies situated within 10 miles of each other.