Four learners from London South East Colleges have been named national champions at the first‑ever National Final of the Further Education Maths Challenge, held at Solihull College and University Centre.
The winning team was made up of Aimerance (Level 2 ICT), Theo (Level 1 Media), Qi‑Shengi (Level 1 Media) and Xiangyu (Level 1 IT).
The Further Education Maths Challenge is a national competition aimed at post‑16 learners who are working towards a Functional Skills mathematics qualification or seeking to improve their GCSE Mathematics grade. The competition uses team‑based problem‑solving rounds to help students build confidence, resilience and practical mathematical skills, with a strong emphasis on real‑world application.
This year’s national final marked the culmination of a large‑scale competition involving 124 colleges and approximately 60,000 students across the country. Nineteen colleges, represented by more than 60 learners, progressed to the national final. LSEC secured their place after winning the London regional final in February, competing in the Ein2stein category.
Accompanied by staff members Neil Spry and Karyn Johnson, the learners travelled from London to Solihull for the final rounds. The competition opened with a Tarsia puzzle challenge, where the team completed the task in 4 minutes and 20 seconds, setting a new record for the fastest time achieved in the round.
The second stage of the final was a Kahoot! multiple‑choice quiz. After starting in fourth position, the team steadily climbed the leaderboard, eventually overtaking their competitors to take first place. Once ahead, they maintained a consistent performance, building on the strong results that had seen them achieve the highest Kahoot! score at the regional stage.
Having won both competitive rounds, the LSEC team were confirmed as MEI Maths Challenge National Champions, marking a significant achievement for both the learners and the college.
The experience was enjoyed by all involved, with hopes that future learners will be inspired to take part when the competition returns in 2027.