Nomination programme
The nomination programme is how schools put forward eligible Year 7 pupils for a place on our online maths circles. Schools nominate once a year, during the Autumn term, and nominated pupils start their weekly sessions the following January.
Our Expression of Interest form is open. Register your interest here.
Only UK state-funded schools can nominate. Pupils cannot nominate themselves, and parents or carers cannot nominate their own child unless the child is home-schooled. Home-schooling parents can contact us directly.
Who to nominate
Half of pupils facing disadvantage who are top performers in maths at the end of primary school do not go on to achieve top grades at GCSE. You play an important role in changing this by identifying and engaging the right pupils from the start.
We recruit Year 7 pupils with the heart and head for maths. Pupils must live in the UK and attend a state-funded secondary school. The curriculum is academically stretching, so it suits pupils who are already enjoying and doing well at maths.
You should nominate:
- Pupils eligible for pupil premium: You can nominate an unlimited number of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium. We hope you offer it to every one of them. You can also nominate up to three pupils who are not eligible for pupil premium.
- Pupils facing wider disadvantage: Not all disadvantage is captured by pupil premium eligibility. Think broadly about pupils whose home or personal circumstances might make it harder for them to continue achieving well in maths through secondary school.
- Pupils with the heart for maths: Enthusiasm and interest are strong indicators of how well a pupil will engage with a maths circle. A sample session is a great way to assess this.
- Pupils with the head for maths: High prior attainers, typically with a KS2 SATs scaled score of at least 113 (or 111 if eligible for pupil premium). This benchmark isn't a hard rule. Use your judgement for pupils who you believe are working at this level but whose results don't reflect it.
- Pupils suited to online learning: Think about pupils who may prefer online learning for any reason (for example, they like working from home, or prefer to work with a different group of mathematicians) or who are frequently absent from school.
Selection problems
We provide selection problems to help you identify the right pupils. They complement existing data like SATs scores and teacher recommendations, and are especially useful for spotting pupils with a real heart for maths that traditional assessments might miss. The materials include short creative tasks, longer problem-solving challenges, collaborative activities, and open-ended exploration tasks. Use them in whatever way suits your setting.
A note on SEND
Many pupils with SEND excel in maths circles. We aim to make circles inclusive to all pupils, and currently run them in both mainstream and special schools. Some mentors tell us that pupils with additional needs particularly benefit from the emphasis on building confident mathematical communication online in a small group. As with any educational provision, some pupils with SEND will need reasonable adjustments to make the most of the opportunity. Please contact us to discuss the support we can offer. For an example of how we worked with one pupil to adapt the Axiom Maths journey for them, read this case study.
How to nominate
Start with an expression of interest
Our Expression of Interest form is open. Register your interest here. We invite schools to nominate throughout the Autumn term, for pupils to start the following January. Depending on demand, we may not be able to invite every school who expresses interest, but we will let you know either way.
Step by step
Once you receive your invitation, which includes the link to the nominations form, take these steps.
- Review the form. Check what data is needed and note any early questions. You can see the data requirements here, and you can contact us here.
- Select your pupils. Nominate every pupil premium eligible pupil with the heart and head for maths, plus up to three pupils who are not eligible. Think about which pupils would benefit most.
- Notify parents and carers. Tell them about the programme and share our privacy notice. You can use our template letter here.
- Collect the data. Anyone at the school can do this. You must include all mandatory fields to submit.
- Submit the form. Use the link in your invitation email and complete every mandatory field. If you hit any snags, see the FAQ below.
You can find our privacy notices here https://axiommaths.com/privacy/
The timeline
- September to November: the nomination period. We email maths teachers and senior leaders to invite nominations.
- Before nominating: the teacher seeks permission and completes the nominations form.
- After nominating: we email the parent or carer to complete a registration form and sign up for our introductory webinar in November.
- Late November to early December: parents and carers share the pupil's availability so we can schedule weekly sessions.
- January: pupils begin their first sessions. See our full term dates here.
We follow strict safeguarding procedures to keep every pupil safe and well. Our safeguarding policy is available to review here.
After you nominate
Once we receive your nominations, we email the parent or carer of each pupil to register them for our introductory webinar and schedule their weekly sessions. From that point, we manage participation directly with parents and carers.
Each year, we will invite you to share this opportunity with your new Year 7s.
Nomination FAQ
Below are some common questions that teachers ask before and during the nominations window. Please click on the question that aligns most closely with your query. If you have any other questions do get in touch here. We will update this page as questions come in.
Why do you only accept Year 7 nominations?
Our curriculum is designed to start in Year 7, with each term progressing in line with the age groups for which it is designed. By Year 10, our pupils are taking part in maths circles that begin to align with the needs of the GCSE curriculum, culminating in a final term that supports Year 11s with their upcoming exams. If pupils start later, they are out of line with the curriculum materials and will miss out on some really important sessions.
What do I need to do before nominating pupils?
You must notify parents of your intention to nominate their child. Based on your school’s policies, you may be required to get their written consent. Please share the Privacy Notice here. You can also find a template letter for parents here.
Ensure you have the required data for each pupil. You can check the form or this FAQ page to see an outline of the data you need.
Please familiarise yourself with the Privacy Notices of Axiom Maths here. The data you share may be shared with one of our delivery partners if they are delivering maths circles in your area. They will share their policies/notices with parents following the nominations process.
Is nomination a guarantee of acceptance into the programme?
Due to limited places, not all nominated pupils may be accepted into the programme. We will prioritise pupils from disadvantaged areas. However, we still encourage you to nominate pupils, as last year we were able to offer places to all pupils who were nominated and wanted to attend.
What are the safeguarding procedures of the programme?
The safeguarding of young people on our programmes is our highest priority. With online sessions there are specific considerations to make sure young people are kept safe. Below is a summary of the steps we take to keep pupils safe, but please see our safeguarding policy here for more detail or contact our safeguarding leads and we will be happy to discuss any concerns you have.
All sessions are recorded and securely stored for 60 days. A selection of the recordings is reviewed by the Axiom Maths team and can be accessed should there be any concerns.
All mentors have an enhanced DBS, they have had two references validated, and they have been interviewed by the team.
No contact information is shared between mentors and pupils. All communication outside of maths circle sessions goes through our secure platform, which is monitored.
What data will I need to collect and submit?
The following data will need to be collected and submitted with the form:
First name
Surname
School year
Date of birth
Unique Pupil Number
Sex
Pupil Premium eligibility
KS2 Maths Attainment Score
SEND status
SEND details
Parent or carer name
Parent or carer email address
School name
School postcode
School Unique Reference Number
School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead name
School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead email address
School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead phone number
What should I do if I don’t have all the required data to complete the nomination form?
We require all mandatory fields to be filled in to process a nomination. If you’re having difficulty obtaining the necessary data from your school, please contact us.
How is the data I provide handled?
All data is processed in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Please familiarise yourself with our Privacy Notice available here. The data may be shared with our delivery partners if they are running maths circles in your area.
How do I know that my nomination has been submitted successfully?
You’ll receive an email confirmation within 24 hours of submitting your nominations. If you don’t get one, please contact us.
What will I need to do after I have nominated my pupils?
You will receive an email confirming your submission within 24 hours of completing the form. Please then support by encouraging the pupils you have nominated to complete our registration form. After that, you will receive further communication from us, or one of our partner organisations, over the course of the year to update you on the progress of your pupils. You will not be expected to do any additional work but we may share with you some other opportunities and ways you can support your pupils through their journey on the programme.
Why does an error message appear when I try to nominate a pupil?
An error message may appear when you try to submit details for a pupil who has already been nominated. If you’re certain the pupil hasn’t been nominated by you or someone else, please contact us.
The form mentions partner organisations of Axiom Maths. How can I find out more about them?
We collaborate with five external partner organisations that manage the Axiom Maths programme on our behalf. The information you provide will be shared with our partners only if they are supporting pupils in your region. If assigned to a partner, guardians will be notified immediately following your submission of the form and given more details.