Outreach activities

The School of Mathematics works closely with school and college students, teachers and careers advisors to encourage the pursuit of Mathematics in higher education.

We work to support young people and their teachers to enable progression to university and to fulfil their full potential. We also offer advice on the admissions process to our degrees and studying at the University of Birmingham.

For more information or details of any of the events below please contact the Outreach and Schools Liaison Officer.

The School of Mathematics also hosts the regional office of the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme which often holds events for teachers and pupils at the University of Birmingham.

Birmingham Popular Maths Lectures (open to everyone)

Wednesday evenings once a month September - April

The Birmingham Popular Mathematics Lectures are open to all members of the public and the University who are interested in the study of Mathematics. They are particularly suitable for those studying Mathematics at A Level and we also welcome advanced GCSE students. Young people are welcome on their own, with parents or with a school group. The lectures are free of charge. They usually run on the last Wednesday evening of the month through the autumn and spring terms.

For information on upcoming and past lectures, please visit the Popular Maths Lectures' page.

Mathematics Taster Day (year 12)-  Wednesday 5 July 2023


The School of Mathematics holds a Mathematics Taster Day for year 12 pupils in the second half of the summer term. The day will be held at the University of Birmingham's Edgbaston campus beginning at 09:45 (registration from 09:15), and will finish around 15:30. As well as information on studying mathematics at University, the day will include two sample lectures, a tour of campus and an interactive mathematics session.

We ask that only pupils who are taking Mathematics A-level and thinking about studying Mathematics at university attend.

Students must register their interest individually to attend by completing the Mathematics Taster Day online form.

For further information please contact the Outreach Officer.

Read our Data Protection Policy and outreach privacy notice.

Masterclasses (years 10-13)

Various dates

University of Birmingham Masterclasses are organised centrally on a wide range of topics across the university. They are designed to stimulate enquiry and broaden knowledge of a variety of subject areas, including Mathematics. The Masterclasses from the School of Mathematics are for students in years 10-13. Please visit the Masterclass webpage for more information and to register.

Maths Big Quiz (year 10)


The Maths Big Quiz runs every year for pupils in Year 10. Each school can bring a maximum of 16 contestants in teams of 4. The object of the day is to make maths fun, collaborative, competitive and with a bit of challenge as well. Rounds in the quiz will focus on different areas of mathematics and there will be a specialist round, the topic of which, all participating schools will be informed about, before the event. The day starts at 09:45 and should be over by 14:30.

To enter the quiz contact Mohammed Ansar m.ansar@bham.ac.uk.

Maths Day (year 8)


Our Year 8 Maths Day aims to raise aspirations of pupils at this key age. We hope to promote the study of mathematics at A-level and beyond, as well as clarifying what STEM subjects and university are, and how they are useful. The day runs approximately 10:00-14:00 (arrival from 09:30) and encourages interest in mathematics, particularly in pupils who might not otherwise consider studying mathematics or going into higher education.

In October 2019 we welcomed 90 students to the university to take part in quizzes, lectures and a workshop delivered by our own Maths undergraduates. We also had a talk from Michael Grove on what you can do with a maths degree. 100% of teachers asked, said that they thought their students were more interested in maths and university as a result of the event.

We also gathered some quotes from teachers:
"I welcome these trips to provide aspirational opportunities to school students"
" The students have really enjoyed themselves. They loved the tour. The talk was excellent and they enjoyed the graph theory work. We would love to bring more students next time!"
" A thoroughly enjoyable and relevant day, thank you."

Registration for this event is not yet open. For further information please email the Outreach and Schools Liaison Officer for the School of Mathematics.

Engineering and Physical Sciences events (years 9 & 10)

Staff and students from the School of Mathematics take part in outreach events which cover a range of subjects, organised by the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. These include our Girls in STEM Day for year 9 girls, and our Discovery Day for year 10 students. For more information on outreach and schools activities which happen across the College, please visit the Engineering & Physical Sciences Outreach page.

Campus Visits (years 5-13)

Various dates

If there are no events detailed above which meet your needs, we are happy to discuss a one off visit to the University of Birmingham for school groups. Visits must be arranged in advance, so that a suitable programme can be arranged and are subject to appropriate staff and venues being available. A visit might involve:

  • talks about the University of Birmingham
  • a mathematical talk or workshop– designed to encourage and stimulate a student’s interest in mathematics
  • a tour of the campus and opportunities to meet current students
  • a question and answer session

To find out more about these opportunities please email the Outreach and Schools Liaison Officer for the School of Mathematics.