Maths clubs and competitions · Maths CAS idea
Start a maths ideas society for DP students
Creativity
Run a fortnightly society where DP students take turns to present a short talk on a piece of maths outside the syllabus, followed by discussion.
Where the maths comes in
Reading beyond the course and presenting an idea in ten minutes to a non-specialist audience.
Which CAS strand it fits
- Creativity: The arts, and other experiences that involve creative thinking.
Your CAS coordinator decides how an experience counts at your school. Strand summaries are provisional (our words, being checked).
How to run it
- Find a supervising teacher and a regular slot.
- Draw up a rota of speakers and a list of possible topics.
- Give your own talk early to set the tone.
- Invite feedback after each talk and keep a programme of past talks.
How to evidence it
- Programme of talks
- Your own slides and speaker notes
- Notes from discussions
Date everything and keep it in your school's CAS portfolio as you go. More on what counts as evidence.
Reflection prompts
Questions to think about, not answers to copy. Write your reflections in your own words, in whatever form your school accepts.
- What did you have to understand properly before you could explain it?
- How did you encourage quieter members to speak?
- What did a talk by someone else change in how you see maths?
Learning outcomes this often gives a chance to show
- Challenge and new skills. What could you not do at the start that you can do now? Which moment felt most uncomfortable, and what did you do next?
- Strengths and growth. Which part of this did you find easiest, and why do you think that is? What would someone who watched you say you need to work on?
- Commitment and perseverance. When did you feel like stopping, and what kept you going? What does your record of sessions or meetings show about how regularly you took part?
Whether you meet an outcome depends on what you actually do and reflect on, not on the idea. Outcome labels are our short summaries, being checked.
Safety and ethics
- Keep it separate from your IA and EE: CAS is not formally assessed.
Agree every plan with your CAS coordinator first. Safety and ethics for maths CAS.
Problems and strategies for a club: competition maths.