SEVERAL primary schools across York and North Yorkshire battled it out in the regional semi-final of the National Young Mathematics awards.

Schools attended the Explore Learning, at Sainsburys, Monks Cross Shopping Centre, to take part in several numerical challenges.

The competition, run by the tuition provider Explore Learning, is a national competition designed by Cambridge University to help increase children’s team building skills.

More than 1,200 primary and secondary schools competed in the competition this year.

Monk Fryston, Knavesmire, Settrington, Badger, Archbishop of York's CE Junior and Rillington Primary schools attempted to solve several fraction equations with Rillington being awarded the winners.

The school's results will now be compared against other regional winners to see if they will attend the finals on January 9.

Year 6 Maths teacher, Steve Lintoff, said: “I am so proud of my year 6 pupils Jonathan Stockill, Beth Ellis, and Ryan Cellars for their hard work.

“They pleaded with me that we enter it this year and I have loved watching them working together, increasing their team building skills and overcoming problems.

“I was amazed we made it through the first round so to have the chance of attending the final at Cambridge University has surpassed our expectations.”

Charlotte Gater, head of curriculum at Explore Learning, said: “The schools who made it to this point have done extremely well. So many great maths minds have taken part this year, so to reach the semi-final stage is a huge achievement. The children were tasked with a never-before-seen mathematical problem and were judged on their ability to work as a team, demonstrate systematic working and show off their mathematical thinking.”

The finalists will be announced in the new year.