Liverpool child wins in National Maths Challenge by BYITC Supermaths

The British Youth International College (BYITC) has announced the 10 winners of its latest National Abacus Maths Challenge, one of whom is based in Liverpool.

Out of the hundreds of students who took part, Suhan Potta from Liverpool has won the level 5 prize in the Abacus Maths competition. The 7 year-old’s parents are thrilled their daughter has been recognised for her mental arithmetic skills.

Her mother, Sahithi Potta, said: “We heard about the Abacus Supermaths program through our friends and took the trial class. We are so pleased with the response from the team.

“Our child’s progress has incredibly changed the way he does maths calculations with perfection. Their game-based pattern of Abacus learning encouraged him to do it more accurately and speedily.

“Our kudos to Supermaths team for this initiative and for creating a new way of learning Maths for future generations.”

Suhan was one of four English-based winners with the remaining six all from the greater Glasgow area.

First launched in February 2022, the most recent National Maths Challenge in September marked the second iteration of the innovative competition organised exclusively for BYITC Supermaths students across the UK.

The first-of-its-kind challenge is based on the school’s pioneering Abacus Maths instruction. The top performers across each of ten levels of BYITC Supermaths training are awarded certificates and prizes for their impressive arithmetic skills.

The National Maths Challenge is aimed at children aged 4-14. Students take part online, completing a series of fun quizzes, mental arithmetic problems, and numerical reasoning questions to test the skills they have honed through Abacus Maths tuition.

BYITC’s Founder Dr Rashmi Mantri, said: “The National Abacus Maths Challenge was created to identify, assess and celebrate students who show extraordinary Abacus Maths skills.

“We know that working on arithmetic problems alone can be monotonous, so we have introduced a competitive element so that students can improve their analytical skills in a more dynamic way.

“Our aim is to find the next generation of mathematics prodigies, to kindle their competitive spirit, and to nurture their true potential. As such, the BYITC Abacus Maths Challenge is a real game changer.”

A core component of the BYITC’s approach to Maths teaching, Abacus Maths training is introduced to students through the Supermaths Abacus programme.

Kids are taught to calculate sums by visualising an Abacus board and use their fingers to manipulate imaginary beads. This not only allows them to do rapid mental arithmetic, but also stimulates cognitive development, improves memory and focus, and develops problem-solving skills.

The BYITC is now the UK’s largest provider of Abacus Maths classes. Split into a junior and senior track, Supermaths is taught through a mix of weekly teacher-led classes, online learning tutorials and activities. Pupils can also make use of the world’s first digital Abacus maths learning App, developed by the BYITC for its students.

Rashmi added: “By taking part in the National Maths Challenge, we hope our Supermaths students will further develop their interest in maths and enthusiasm for number crunching. The challenge not only improves their arithmetic skills, speed and accuracy, but also boosts their confidence.”

After a successful start, the school now plans to organise an International Abacus Maths Olympiad and the same students will now be moving to compete in this global competition.