This friendly, online, inter-school competition gives teams of Year 5 children the opportunity to apply their mathematics knowledge and teamwork skills to solve problems and answer challenging questions, putting their reasoning skills to the test.
The hour-long heats will comprise of a set of 4 equally weighted rounds. These rounds will include:
- questions with multiple parts
- problems in context
- visual estimation
There will also be some puzzles for teams to complete in school in advance of their heat.
Success in the challenge relies on much more than mere mathematical calculation. Teams will be challenged with problem-solving, reasoning, estimation, visualisation, and arithmetic from across the mathematics curriculum.
Each team member will receive a certificate for taking part.
Teams from any school, within Hertfordshire, across the UK and overseas, are warmly welcomed to take part in this competition as all Heats and the Final will be held remotely.
Teams will be able to join the competition from their own classrooms or school.
The top 20 scoring teams from across the heats will be invited to take part in the Grand Final. Every finalist will receive a certificate and the winners will receive the trophy, engraved with their school name, to display proudly in school until the next year’s Year 5 Mathematics Challenge takes place.
2025 Year 5 Maths Challenge – Get involved…
Schools can choose between four identical live online heats in the spring term. Schools may enter as many teams as they wish (and across any number of heats), at a cost of £35 per team.
To enter your Year 5 class teams into this year’s HFL Education Year 5 maths challenge, please book onto one of the following heats via the HFL Education Hub.
Choose a heat
HEAT 1: Thursday 27th February 2025, 1:30pm-2:30pm
HEAT 2: Thursday 27th February 2025, 3:30pm-4:30pm
HEAT 3: Monday 3rd March 2025, 1:30pm-2:30pm
HEAT 4: Monday 3rd March 2025, 3:30pm-4:30pm
The Grand Final will take place on Tuesday 25th March 2025, 1:30 – 3:10pm, and finalists will be invited to attend following the heats.
Download the HFL Education Year 5 Maths Challenge Event Guidance and Practice Questions for an explanation of structure of the event and a flavour of the types of questions and problems the Year 5 teams will work together to solve. There are hints and tips about how to solve different types of problem and about how to work well as a team.
In the live heats and final, teams will have a time limit to complete each question. For many of the questions, this will be two minutes.
Congratulations to our previous Year 5 Maths Challenge Winners
Joint 2024 Winners: The Orchard Primary School, Watford, Hertfordshire & Codicote C of E Primary School, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Our favourite question was the pathways question because it was challenging, and we had to work as a team; which is what the maths challenge is all about.
Year 5 team, The Orchard Primary School
When life brings you maths - do the maths challenge.
Year 5 team, Codicote Primary School
Listen to the Year 5 team from Codicote Primary School, along with headteacher, Liz Pollard, talking to Andy Collins on BBC Three Counties Radio about their experience of the HFL Education Year 5 maths challenge 2024 and their future aspirations.
2023 winners: The Orchard Primary School, Watford
2022 winners: St Albans High School Prep, St Albans
2021 winners: The Orchard Primary School, Watford
2020 winners: Pixmore Junior School, Letchworth
2019 winners: Nascot Wood Junior School, Watford
To borrow a phrase originally coined about the Olympic Games, “The most important thing is not winning but taking part.
David Cook, Year 5 maths challenge founder.
Find out more about upcoming HFL Education maths challenge events.
HFL Education Year 3 maths challenge
HFL Education Year 4 maths challenge
HFL Education Year 6 maths challenge
To express an interest in joining the next Year 5 Maths Challenge competition, complete this short form and we will be in touch as soon as next year’s heats are open for team registration.
Sign up to our Primary Maths Newsletter for updates about the HFL Education Mathematics Challenge and from the wider world of primary maths.
For further information or for support with problem-solving and challenge in your school, contact the HFL Education Primary Maths Team at primarymaths@hfleducation.org.
