Inspiring Women in Maths
The Mount’s Maths department hosted GCSE pupils from five schools for their Inspiring Women in Maths Day to inform them about the advantages of studying Maths subjects at A-Level.
Girls from Barlby High School, Fulford School, Manor Academy, Ryedale School and Queen Mary’s School joined girls from The Mount for three sessions which included ‘taster’ lessons for A-Level Pure Maths, Further Maths and Applied Maths. They also heard from specialist teachers of other A-Level subjects about how studying Maths A-Level benefits the studies of their own subjects, specifically Biology, Geography, Physics and Psychology.
The girls also heard from Mount Old Scholars about how studying A-Level Maths helped their career paths. Mary Betteridge (2022) is currently studying Maths at the University of York. She had originally enrolled for a Computer Science degree and then swapped into Maths which she is thoroughly enjoying. Rebecca Moss (2002) is a geotechnical engineer who shared the practical advantages of a Maths A-Level (managing personal finances, tax declarations, etc) and career advantages (“Any employer who learns you have a Maths A-Level will immediately perceive you as a very clever person, even without knowing your actual result“). Rebecca shared the career paths of herself and two women from her cohort at The Mount, Sophie, who is now an architect, and Griselda, who is now a hedge fund manager in Dubai.
College girls enjoyed meeting their visitors, hosting them in the College Sixth Form Centre and showing them College studies.
Pupils and staff from the visiting schools very much enjoyed their day. Mrs Mitchell had hoped to inspire them into seeing the usefulness of studying Maths at A-Level, that it is well within their capabilities, and can be fun and rewarding.
