Marymount Students Excel in UKMT Senior Team Maths Challenge

– and Research Shows Why Environments Like Ours Matter.

At Marymount, we often speak about the unique advantages of an all-girls learning environment, particularly in STEAM-based subjects where girls have historically been underrepresented. Recent international research continues to affirm what we see every day in our classrooms: when girls learn in a space free from gendered expectations, they flourish academically. 

A new discussion paper (shared by the ICGS) from the IZA Institute of Labor Economics, through a case study of South Korean single-sex schools, highlights how girls in single-sex schools demonstrate significantly higher performance in demanding Mathematics examinations. The researchers found that, in all-girls contexts, students feel less pressure to downplay their academic abilities and ambitions. This freedom encourages greater confidence, stronger engagement and ultimately better outcomes, including increased enrolment in STEAM pathways.  

Crucially, the study also notes that the positive effects are not simply the result of school resources of facilities. Instead, the key driver is behavioural: girls in single-sex settings tend to push themselves more, invest additional study hours, and feel empowered to excel in traditionally male dominated subjects. At the same time, the report reminds educators to be mindful of the internal pressures many girls place on themselves, highlighting the importance of wellbeing support alongside academic challenge. 

This research resonates deeply with our own experience at Marymount. We see our students embrace Mathematics with confidence, curiosity, and a healthy appetite for challenge. Qualities that shine particularly brightly in team-based problem-solving environments. 

Celebrating Marymount Mathematical Excellence 

This commitment to excellence was recently demonstrated when a team of four Marymount students competed in the UKMT Senior Team Maths Challenge at Portsmouth Grammar School. The regional final included 19 schools, and our students the only all-girls team, placed third! 

The UKMT Senior Team Mathematics Challenge is designed to push students beyond curriculum content, asking them to collaborate, communicate clearly, and think creatively under time pressure. It is precisely the kind of challenge that highlights the strengths the research describes: high levels of effort, the courage to take intellectual risks, and the confidence to lead. 

Seeing our Marymount students excel at this regional-level event is a powerful illustration of what the research suggests: in an all-girls environment, students feel free to aim high and they often do. 

Where Research Meets Reality 

The achievements of our Senior Team Maths Challenge participants are not isolated successes; they represent the broader culture of ambition, support and empowerment that shapes our community. The research from South Korea confirms what we witness daily: girls thrive when they learn in an environment that nurtures academic aspiration and removes gendered barriers. 

At Marymount, we remain committed to this dual focus; allowing girls to achieve extraordinary academic outcomes while ensuring they feel supported, seen and balanced in their wellbeing. Our students’ performance in the UKMT competition is a testament not only to their talent and hard work but also to the transformative potential of a single-sex educational experience in Mathematics. 

We look forward to celebrating more of their achievements and to continuing to provide a learning experience where girls can excel without limits.