Every year, the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics run a Challenge and Senior Challenge for students in Year 8 and below and Year 10 and below.

Entrants complete a series of challenging and fun problems over February half-term and either return them to us directly or via their teacher at school. Problems are sent out to local schools in late January and are also released on the Maths Challenge page (link below). Some of the questions might involve some investigation and problem solving.

The best entrants, along with teachers, family and friends are invited to a prize-giving evening at Newcastle University.

For more information go to the Maths Challenge page.

A common misconception is that studying Mathematics is for boys. In this event we hope to dispel that myth and show you (and your Mum, Grandma, Auntie, Dad or other interested guardian) that there are strong successful women who use mathematics in a variety of interesting ways every day in their careers.

Refreshments will be provided.

In June 2020 we are holding an event aimed at girls and their Mum (Gran, Auntie, Dad or other interested guardian). Details of the event will appear here as they become available.

The aims of the event are to:

• Showcase some of the careers that women with a mathematical background have gone into
• Stimulate the curiosity of year 9/10 girls and promote the study of maths at A-level and beyond

Attendees will include:

• Academics from the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
• Current undergraduate students in the School of Mathematics,Statistics and Physics.
• Women from industry and other subject areas within the University who have a mathematical background or who use mathematics & statistics in the workplace

To sign up for the event complete the Wisdom application form when it opens. If you are on our mailing list you will also receive an email about this prior to applications opening.

Please register here

Date: Wednesday 13th November 2019

Time: 14:00 - 16:00

Place: Ground Floor, Herschel Building, Newcastle University

The conference is aimed at encouraging pupils to continue studying mathematics at A Level.

2019 talks include

• The Storm of the Century! - Dr Lee Fawcett (Royal Statistical Society (RSS) Guy Lecturer)
• PhD Research Showcase

Previous speakers have included Professor Robin Johnson (Newcastle University), Dr Lee Fawcett (Newcastle University), Dr Paul Baxter (Royal Statistical Society (RSS) Guy Lecturer) and Professor Philip Moriarty (Nottingham University).

Teachers can sign up to bring groups of students to the event by filling in the online form, here once it opens. If you are on our mailing list you will also receive an email about this prior to applications opening.

Please register here.

Every year, the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics run a Challenge and Senior Challenge for students in Year 8 and below and Year 10 and below.

Entrants complete a series of challenging and fun problems over February half-term and either return them to us directly or via their teacher at school. Problems are sent out to local schools in late January and are also released on the Maths Challenge page (link below). Some of the questions might involve some investigation and problem solving.

The best entrants, along with teachers, family and friends are invited to a prize-giving evening at Newcastle University.

For more information go to the Maths Challenge page.

To ease the transition between the content expectations of GCSE and A level physics, we will be holding an enrichment event in the summer term 2019.

This event will be open to year 11 students who have just completed their GCSEs and are looking to commence their studies in physics at A level in September 2019.

The week will support the main content listed in the A level syllabus, and is taught by our world leading physics academics.

The taught sessions will be supported by sessions in our highly equipped laboratories, giving students the opportunity to:

• develop laboratory skills
• learn to use scientific equipment
• gain a deeper understanding of scientific principles.

Seminars showcasing cutting edge research in physics and the possibilities available for the study of physics to degree level and beyond will also feature.

The event is free to attendees, and includes food and drink during the sessions.

Spaces will be limited to maximise the student experience. Details of how to apply will be available here soon.

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics at Newcastle University once again teamed up with Maths Inspiration to co-host the annual event at the Northern Stage.

Maths Inspiration is a national programme of interactive maths lecture shows for teenagers. It gives 14-17 year olds a chance to experience the UK's most inspiring maths speakers live in theatres. These speakers present mathematics in the context of exciting, real-world applications.

All shows have three interactive talks, an interval and a lively Q and A session at the end. Many of the shows feature mathematicians, engineers and physicists. This an ideal STEM outing for your school that can also open your students' eyes to careers they may not have considered before.

The event took place on Tuesday 28 January 2020 and was very well received, with excellent feedback from those who attended:

Thank you so much for yesterday's event - our students loved it and found all speakers to be really engaging. We would certainly love to come back next year.... 
Gosforth Academy

We love the show, it is very well done and very professional. The pupils loved it too...Thank you for all your efforts.
Yarm School

We really enjoyed the show. Many thanks for organising such a great event to inspire and enthuse our mathematicians.
Newcastle Sixth Form College

We intend to co-host Maths Inspiration again next year, for more information please go to the Maths Inspiration  website.

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics are offering Taster Days for Year 12/13 students to give an insight into what life is like for a Mathematics student or member of staff at Newcastle University.

The Taster Days will be held on:

• Wednesday 6th May 2020
• Thursday 7th May 2020

Students should give two choices in order of preference when they sign up.

The day will include:

• observing academic lectures
• a careers and UCAS session 
• a campus tour,
• a subsidised lunch with undergraduate students
• observing an academic research seminar 
• a computing session,
• meeting an academic member of staff and a postgraduate

Each of the days will take a slightly different form depending on the activities available in the school that day. But all attendees should get a flavour of life in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics at Newcastle University.

Students should sign up using this online form when it opens, places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Teachers who are on our mailing list will also receive an email about this prior to applications opening.

Parental permission will be required as students will be unsupervised on campus at lunchtime and will be required to travel to and from Newcastle University independently. Please download a Permission and Emergency Contact Form. It should be printed out, completed and brought to the Taster Day by the student. Failure to supply a permission slip will result in the student not being allowed to participate in the day.

Please register here

As year 12 students begin engaging with the UCAS process we would like to offer a one hour visit from two of our Stage 1 undergraduate Maths and Physics students.

The student visit will consist of a 20-30 minute talk about Maths and Physics degrees (both generally and specifically at Newcastle University) and plenty of time for your year 12 students to ask any questions they might have about degree choices and/or uni life.

The student drop-ins are available from 8th June – 26th June 2020 (subject to student availability). If you are interested in having 2 of our undergraduates visit your year 12 A-level maths and physics students then please apply by completing this form, when registration opens.

Please give three possible dates/times for the students to visit (in preference order) and we will do our best to get 2 students to visit you at your preferred time.

Please register here

If you are on our mailing list you will also receive an email about this prior to registration opening. 

This scheme was developed to provide A-Level students in Local Widening participation Schools with the opportunity to fulfil their potential and expand their horizons. It is hoped that it will inspire confidence and lead to students wishing to study Physics at Undergraduate level by providing access to excellent laboratory facilities and academic expertise

The scheme allows students from local schools to be given the opportunity to perform the required A-Level experiments here at Newcastle University. The scheme is open to schools which would fall into the Widening Participation category and others who do not have access to the required equipment.

There will be no charge for the scheme from the University, but the school is expected to oversee the transport of students to and from the University, and to make any charges for this which they would normally do. Experiments are to be carried out within school hours, as this makes it very much easier to organise on both sides, and a teacher is expected to be present and to lead the session.

Sessions are scheduled on Wednesday afternoons to minimise disruption to the University and the school. Six sets of each experiment will be available.

Students will be encouraged to work in pairs, and to collect data to take away with them. A member of University staff will be present together with a technician and undergraduate student mentors. University staff will not lead the sessions, but will offer insight into the experiment or results obtained.

Any relevant questions about the University are encouraged and our degree programs and entry routes will be discussed. It is hoped that contact with staff and students from the University will be beneficial both to the school students and the teachers.

To register, please complete this form.