Every Autumn the Mathematical Association runs master classes at the University of Sussex. Schools in Sussex are invited to send one or two able students from Year 9 and this year Ellie Warner attended. Here is her report.

At the end of last year, Shannon Gunawardana and I were selected from our year group to attend a series of workshops at Sussex University, all on a different and diverse element of the ever-evolving subject that is Mathematics. Originally, we were apprehensive - this would entail giving up eight weeks of Saturday morning lie-ins, after all - but after we had experienced the first workshop, which involved the intriguing task of creating a business from making and selling paper bricks, we were hooked.

The topics we were introduced to over the course could not have been more different. Code breaking, A-level Statistics, best solutions, curves of constant breadth and even French fortification were used to expand our minds and stretch our thinking. Many of these also offered a chance to work with students from other schools; we made an abundance of new friends whilst also learning the widely varied methods we used to tackle problems.

We left feeling challenged every week, often with a puzzle to mull over and try to solve. We all received a certificate at the end, but the true reward was the knowledge we gained and our expanded perception of the applications of Maths in the wider world.

Shannon Gunawardana said of the workshops, “They were interesting, informative and impossibly difficult at times; they gave us the chance to see that Maths isn’t a dull subject; in fact, quite the opposite! I made too many friends to count and I keep in touch with a few. I would recommend the experience to anyone – you’ll be surprised at just how much fun you have.”

I, too, would agree. It was a great course and we would like to thank Mrs Woroniecki and the Maths Department very much for getting us the places.

Written by Ellie Warner, Year 9

30/11/09