Stepping Back in Time for 1st Year Maths

Offers went out this week to the new cohort joining us at Truro School in September 2023, following entrance exams taken in the middle of January as a part of the admissions process.

Our Alumni Team were inspired to dig out some past entrance exam papers, including one from 1945 (pictured here below). Posted on the Old Truronians community pages, the exam paper both amused and challenged some of our past students.

Today, Mr Butterworth challenged his 1st Year pupils to see how they got on with some of the questions that would have faced prospective pupils in 1945. Our modern-day pupils were given help to decode the (now) unfamiliar units of currency but were not allowed to use their calculators to help them.

Mr Butterworth said, “The students really enjoyed sitting it and taking on the challenge. They didn’t enjoy not being allowed to use their calculators, however, and a few asked how many actually passed the exam! In the time allowed (which was less than they would have had in 1945), students scored on average 5 out of 9 and a couple of students scored 8. After the success of this morning, I am going to share the resource with the rest of the department to try out with all of the 1^st years before half term.”

Thanks to Mr Butterworth for this inspiring lesson.