The Maths Masterclass Tutorials

With Simon Singh

The Maths Masterclass Tutorials is a programme of online maths tuition designed to stretch and challenge keen young mathematicians.

The Maths Masterclass Tutorials programme is delivered by TalentEd in partnership with best-selling author Dr. Simon Singh.

Testimonials from the Maths Masterclass Tutorials

“I really enjoyed the fact that there were actually questions that I found hard – it was a nice challenge.”

— Student

“The beauty of it was that it was a break from the norm. The work and homework was challenging, but he felt supported. He had a smile on his face when he finished”

— Parent

“Being in a small group was great, it meant we all got to have a go at the questions and share our methods. It was fun whether you got them right or wrong.”

— Student

Are you interested in the Maths Masterclass Tutorials?

We have now closed applications for 2021-22. If you’ve missed out this time and are interested in joining one of our programmes, please subscribe to our mailing list below and we will keep you updated on future opportunities.

 
 

What are the Maths Masterclass Tutorials?

+ A unique opportunity to help talented young mathematicians become brilliant

This programme is about fostering brilliant mathematicians – those who love maths and will go on to study maths-based STEM subjects at an advanced level. In particular we aim to provide this opportunity to students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to access this kind of support. Our goal is to increase the number and diversity of excellent mathematicians.

The masterclasses are designed to challenge students and stretch them beyond the maths they will be doing at school. These sessions will improve their maths problem-solving, understanding and confidence, and generally increase their enjoyment and commitment to the subject.

+ High quality weekly online maths tutorials

The hour-long sessions are delivered via Zoom. Sessions will cover a mix of quick and fun maths questions followed by longer and more challenging problems that the group will work through together with their tutor. Students will also be expected to complete homework in between sessions, which will help to embed what they have covered in the previous session, give them a chance to tackle some challenging problems on their own, and prepare them for the following week’s session.

+ The introductory term

All students who are offered places on the Maths Masterclass Tutorials will be invited to join a FREE 10-week programme.

We expect the majority of students to graduate from the introductory programme to the full Maths Masterclass Tutorials programme; some students may be switched to the Monthly Maths Challenge programme (see below) and others might decide not to continue.

+ FREE or heavily subsidised places for all participants

It costs us £10 per student to run a maths masterclass, but all places are free in our introductory term. When the full programme starts, students from disadvantaged backgrounds will continue to receive free places, while other students will be offered subsidised places. We are committed to ensuring no student misses out due to inability to pay.

+ Virtual tutorial groups of passionate maths students from across the country

Students will be placed in small virtual tutorial groups with students who share their interest and enthusiasm for maths from across the country. Students will build relationships with – and learn from – this nationwide network of like-minded peers.

+ Led by our brilliant and experienced tutors

Our tutors are carefully selected through a rigorous vetting process. They all have teaching qualifications and/or many years of teaching and tutoring experience in maths, and we only work with the most engaging and passionate mathematicians.

The new Monthly Maths Challenge programme

Our recruitment process for Year 7 students is significantly different from our approach to older students, as every student will be offered a place on either TalentEd’s weekly Maths Masterclass Tutorials or the Monthly Maths Challenge Programme, a programme run by our partner organisation The Good Thinking Society.

Year 7 students on the Monthly Maths Challenge Programme will be invited to 10 free live monthly webinars, in which high-profile mathematicians including Countdown series champion Junaid Mubeen and bestselling science writer Simon Singh will go through a series of maths puzzles in order to help students develop their problem-solving skills. This will be ideal preparation for students who will be sitting the Junior Maths Challenge, and it will also be valuable to students not participating in the JMC.

How will students be Safeguarded?

Safeguarding of young people on our programmes is our highest priority. With online tuition there are specific considerations to make sure young people are kept safe. Below is a summary of the steps we take to keep students safe, but please see our safeguarding page here for more detail, or contact [email protected] and we will be happy to discuss any concerns you have.

  • All sessions are recorded and securely stored for 28 days. A selection of the recordings are reviewed by a member of the TalentEd team, and can be accessed should there be any concerns

  • All tutors are have an enhanced DBS clearance, they have had two references validated, and they have been interviewed by TalentEd

  • No contact information is shared between tutors and students – all communication outside of tuition sessions goes through our secure platform which is monitored

Read about the pilot

The idea for the Maths Masterclass Tutorials was first tested in May 2020.

Our supporters

This year the Maths Masterclass Tutorials are generously supported by MESME (Maths Education for Social Mobility and Excellence). Their vision is to support students from all backgrounds to achieve mathematical excellence, so that they go on to have a greater and richer range of future personal, employment and economic choices. Visit their website for more information.

We will also continue to work in partnership with The Good Thinking Society, a charity that runs several maths education projects, to deliver the programme.