Celebrating Mathematical Excellence in September

In September, we celebrate our budding mathematicians who participated in the final round of the prestigious Wits Maths Competition. The qualifying round took place in May, with ninety girls from Grades 4 to 7 enthusiastically taking part. On 22 May, our students arrived eager to flex their mathematical muscles.

Grade 4 and 5 students tackled the Middle Primary Paper, while Grade 6 and 7 students faced the Upper Primary Paper. Both papers demanded exceptional problem-solving, deductive reasoning, and lateral thinking skills.

Among thousands of entrants from hundreds of schools, St Mary’s DSG is proud to celebrate the following achievements:

• 32 Merit Awards – awarded to students who placed in the top 30% of participants.
• 4 Excellence Awards – awarded to students who placed in the top 10%.
• 5 Finalists – selected to write the final round.

These finalists form part of an elite group of the top 100 students in their age band — an extraordinary accomplishment that reflects their dedication and talent.

Congratulations to our finalists:

• Lonene Chauke (Grade 4)

• Amari Gombe (Grade 5)

• Ikanyeng Sephoti (Grade 5)

• Omolemo Maseko (Grade 6)

• Uyapha Grootboom (Grade 7)

Earlier this year, several Grade 6 and 7 students also participated in the South African Maths Challenge, a nationwide competition involving over 77,000 students from 901 schools in Round 1. Round 2 saw 10,000 students from 509 schools competing, and only 500 students from 164 schools qualified for the final round.

We are thrilled to announce that Omolemo Maseko (Grade 6) was one of these finalists — an amazing feat! Well done, Omolemo!