FAQs

The most important thing is that our students are excited by mathematics and science.  Secondly, we’re looking for students who will enjoy tackling interesting problems, especially when it’s not immediately obvious how to approach them.  Some students like maths when it’s predictable and familiar; ours are happiest when they have to think about new and different ways of using their knowledge to solve problems that don’t look immediately familiar.

If you are among the best or most enthusiastic mathematicians in your school, you would probably enjoy studying with us. It could be that your abilities have not yet become obvious, because you have not had the opportunity of being taught by a well qualified specialist teacher or challenged to solve interesting problems.  Don’t be put off if you think your grades might not be high enough: we may be able to help with this. You might already have enjoyed the UKMT maths challenge competitions, but if your school doesn’t do these you can have a go at them here.

Here are some more websites to help you to explore your enjoyment of mathematics and problem-solving:

• Nrich
• Plus magazine
• Dr Frost maths
• KCL weekly maths challenge
• Mathologer
• Numberphile
• Computerphile
• Mr Barton maths
• 3Blue1Brown
• Minutephysics

The Maths School is for students from the Liverpool City Region who love mathematical and scientific reasoning and want to understand things properly rather than just be taught to pass an exam. The specialist curriculum provides students with the opportunity to really focus on Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science and Physics, delving deeper than their A-level curriculum, accessing unique experiences and exploring fascinating theories.

In order to succeed at the Maths School, we expect that students should be predicted to get a grade 8 or 9 in GCSE Maths. If you are predicted a grade 7 but feel that the Maths School is the place for you, then please get in touch to find out what additional support we can offer.

Absolutely nothing. Although we are a specialist school we’re state funded and don’t charge fees.

We’re a small school with a strong focus on mathematics, with every student taking Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science and Physics A-levels. Students may be entered for AS Computer Science, or the full A-Level.  By specialising in the mathematical sciences we can design our A-Level courses to complement each other and ensure our students receive a top quality and highly coherent education.  Our students will gain the knowledge and expertise necessary to go on to a successful career in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) including mathematics, computer science and programming, machine learning, physics or engineering. However, if you think you may want to study medicine, bio-sciences or chemistry at university we are probably not the right school for you.

The ethos at ULMaS is inclusive and we are perfectly sized: small enough to know everyone but large enough to find plenty of people who have interests in common with you. You won’t wear a uniform and you’ll know everyone by their first name. Fitting in here is easy.

We are a selective school and all students will apply to study here by completing our online application form.

Eligible applicants will then be asked to sit an aptitude test*/ online maths session*. If you pass this, we will invite you to come in to discuss why you want to study at the Maths School and to determine if we are the right sixth form for you. 

Measures are in place to ensure that every student is supported through the recruitment and selection process and this will help ensure that students from all backgrounds and schools have an equal chance of getting a place at the school.

Please contact us at any time if you have any questions by emailing livmaths@liverpool.ac.uk.

*During the Covid-19 pandemic the written aptitude test has been replaced by an online 1-1 mathematics and problem-solving session.

The aptitude test*/ online maths session* is designed to help us see how you approach different types of problems and think about maths. You will be very familiar with the maths included in the test and it won’t include topics from higher tier GCSE. After you apply you will receive information about how you can prepare in advance for the test. 

Please contact us at any time if you have any questions by emailing livmaths@liverpool.ac.uk.

*During the Covid-19 pandemic the written aptitude test has been replaced by an online 1-1 mathematics and problem-solving session.

The admissions process and entry criteria are fully detailed in the ULMaS Admissions Policy.  In order to succeed at the Maths School, we expect that students should be predicted to get a grade 8 or 9 in GCSE Maths and in GCSE Physics, or combined science. If you are predicted a grade 7 but feel that the Maths School is the place for you, then please apply anyway and also get in touch to find out what additional support we can offer by emailing: livmaths@liverpool.ac.uk.

Our first and second rounds for applications have now closed but we still have some places left. Please apply online and we will get in touch with you.

If you need any help completing our application form please contact us.

Please contact us at any time if you have any questions by emailing livmaths@liverpool.ac.uk.

We will admit up to 80 students in each cohort, joining us at the beginning of Year 12. We intend that these students will have just completed Year 11 prior to joining us.

No. If you wish to go to university you will be supported in applying for the universities of your choice through the UCAS system. If you decide you don’t want to go to university we will help you to find the right next step for you. Either way you will have had an experience of studying on a university campus in a school with a strong academic ethos; so you will have a good idea of whether university study is something you would enjoy. 

It is worth being aware that the University of Liverpool guarantees the offer of a place to students who apply to them through UCAS and successfully complete their A-Levels at the University of Liverpool Mathematics School.

The Sir Alastair Pilkington Building will be completely refurbished prior to the school opening in September 2020, and will have four floors of dedicated facilities, including:  

• Classrooms with latest AV-IT which are equipped with maths and science teaching in mind 
• ICT suites 
• Break out spaces and common rooms for relaxing and working outside classes  
• Study zones for individual and group work  
• Group activity and seminar rooms 
• 2 science labs to support practical physics sessions 
• Kitchen facilities for use by staff and students 
• Dedicated reception  
• Secure and controlled building access  

We’re a day school only so there is no boarding.

Our Admissions Policy does not define a catchment area. All students who live within travelling distance of the school are welcome; distance is not considered in the application process.

The school is well located for public transport (buses and trains). We are just a 15 minute walk from Lime Street Station and Liverpool Bus Station and immediately adjacent to the 75, 80 and 86 bus routes on Catharine Street. There are also secure bike racks nearby for students who want to cycle to school.

We don’t have a uniform or a strict dress code. We expect staff and students to dress sensibly but it’s up to you whether you wear jeans and t-shirt or a tailored suit.

We are planning to have a maximum of 16 students in a class; often classes will be smaller than this.

We will be focused on the excellent delivery of A Levels in

• Maths,
• Further Maths,
• Computer Science and
• Physics,

supported by the

Aspiring Mathematicians Programme, which gives an additional high-quality dimension covering research, communication, and computing, and the

Personal and Personal Enrichment Programme (PPEP)

Our teaching staff are highly qualified experts in their fields with a lively interest in learning.  They are supported by expertise from the University of Liverpool’s mathematics, physics and computer science departments.

Our Headteacher is a Cambridge University graduate with 22 years’ experience of teaching mathematics in three different schools, particularly focused on A Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics and STEP Mathematics. 

The academic success of the two existing maths schools is very clear.  Have a look at Exeter Maths School and Kings College Maths School to find out more.   

Yes – it makes you a pioneer! The opportunity to be part of the start a new school is an exciting privilege, not just for the staff but for the students as well. Our first cohort of students will play a founding role in the school, helping to determine our approach and ethos, guiding the staff in creating excellent provision and a special community and establishing traditions which we hope will last for generations.  The students who have already been offered places are all committed, hard-working and enthusiastic: you will be in great company.

That’s great – we’re interested in many areas of learning as well. Although our examined curriculum is based on A Levels in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, our curriculum is considerably broader thanks to the Aspiring Mathematicians Programme (AMP) and the Personal & Pastoral Enrichment Programme (PPEP). 

We will encourage students to read broadly, to be interested in current affairs, history, philosophy and science and much more. Research and communication skills will also be key aspects of what students learn when they are with us. You will find that your education at ULMaS consists of much more than the A-Level grades you achieve at the end, and you may well discover that your peers are as important as your teacher in stimulating you to learn more and to think more deeply about the things you are learning. 

In Computer Science our priority is to ensure that students are confident coders and users of technology.  We’ll also encourage you to understand properly the mathematical basis of Computer Science. Some students will take AS Computer Science and other students will take the full A-Level in Year 13.

We will have access to Sport Liverpool, The University of Liverpool’s sporting facility which is about 200m away from the school building. Activities could include swimming, volleyball, netball, 5-a-side and multigym training amongst other things. We won’t be big enough to field a netball, rugby, hockey or football team.

The key benefit of studying at the Maths School is our focused curriculum, which enables students to specialise and really extend and deepen their skills and knowledge in the mathematical sciences. By offering a centre of excellence which is closely focused on mathematics we hope to provide a resource which is unique in the north of England.

For students who want to study a broader range of A-Levels there is already some excellent provision within the region.

If you enjoy mathematics but are considering a career in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, general science then we would encourage you to get advice about the A Levels and degree courses you might need to choose. You may need A Level Chemistry, for example, and unfortunately, we will not be teaching this subject.

We’re a secular school and students will not be taught RE. Our pastoral curriculum will promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our students and we will encourage students to consider issues in current affairs from a variety of perspectives. Naturally we’ll want to look at some of these things from a mathematical and scientific point of view: where students in many schools are given guidance on healthy and safe behaviour, our teachers will be able to give students data sets to analyse and interpret in order to draw their own valid conclusions about where risk lies. Students might also consider, for example, whether societies’ ethical rules come about as a result of game theory and natural selection or are designed by moral actors as a way of changing the rules of the game to achieve a greater moral good.

One of the great advantages of being in a small school is that every member of staff can get to know every student well. The sense of being part of a team, a valued member of a cohesive community, is a crucial part of everyone’s wellbeing and development, and we aim to ensure that for all our students.

Our small classes, informal family ethos and our shared interests mean that we will be a close-knit school where students feel safe and know that both the staff and their peers have their best interests at heart.

Every student will have a pastoral tutor who will be there to support them if they have any concerns or personal difficulties, guide them through their courses, work experience and UCAS or job applications, and who will also nudge them in the right direction if they need to ‘up their game’. We will also have support staff who will be trained in counselling, safeguarding, special educational needs and pastoral care. Having no teaching commitment, they will be available all day to help students with their pastoral needs.

We know that there are many students with special educational needs who have great potential in the mathematical sciences. We’re keen to enable them to succeed at the highest levels and overcome any barriers that may make it harder for them to learn.

Our SEN Policy is available here.

Our school building is fully accessible, and our staff will be receiving specialist training in helping students with dyslexia or Autistic Spectrum Condition. We are also keen to accommodate students with hearing impairments or visual impairments.

The Maths School is a Single Academy Trust.  The Trust that runs the school is a Private Limited Company by guarantee.  It doesn’t make a profit and it doesn’t have shareholders.  The purpose is to improve education in Liverpool, especially for students who are exceptionally talented in the mathematical sciences, or are disadvantaged or under-represented in the mathematical sciences and Higher Education.  

The school is governed by a Board of Trustees which includes representatives from the University of Liverpool and the local community.  When the school opens there will be Trustee roles for members of staff and parents/carers of students.

Our foundation is part of a Department for Education initiative to encourage top universities in England to apply to open specialist 16-19 maths schools to help more young people learn from the best mathematicians in the country. Two such schools (Exeter Maths School and Kings College Maths School) are already open and achieving fantastic results. We will be the third school to open and the first in the North of England. 

The school is Free School (Single Academy Trust) fully funded by the government.  We entered into a funding agreement with the Department for Education on 28th May 2020.

If you’d like to support the school either through governance, volunteering or just as a friend, please email livmaths@liverpool.ac.uk.  You can express an interest in being a Trustee here.

We have adapted our Admissions Policy to allow us to make exceptions where we believe there is evidence that students have suffered disadvantage in the summer 2020 GCSE process.

We strongly recommend that students engage with our online outreach programme and submit homework regularly so that we can see how you are responding to the challenge of preparing for A-Levels.

The Sir Alastair Pilkington building has a lift and is fully accessible from both the front and back of the building.  All classrooms and other spaces are accessible to wheelchair users.