SOLIHULL superstar Conor Collins showed dedication adds-up to success after earning full marks in two prestigious mathematics competitions.
The 13-year-old pupil from Solihull School scored 60 out of 60 in the intermediate maths olympiad organised by the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT).
His performance earned him a prize and medal from the UKMT and praise from his teachers.
To add to this, Conor also scored full marks in the UKMT junior maths challenge. More than 315,000 candidates sat the paper across the UK and only 44 pupils managed this feat.
Mark Bishop, head of mathematics at Solihull School, said: “Conor’s success is amazing, especially as he is a year younger than the age group for which the olympiad is intended.
“He certainly has few equals, as only six pupils in the whole of the UK earned full marks in the olympiad exam, while only 44 pupils achieved top marks in the UKMT challenge. It all adds up to superb performances by Conor.”
Conor revealed there was only one question he found tricky in the Olympiad competition, as he breezed his way to answering all questions correctly.
That’s hardly surprising as the teenager is already way ahead of his time when it comes to his favourite subject.
Conor is already studying number theory and geometry at undergraduate level even though he has not taken his GCSEs or A Levels yet.
Conor, who has an academic scholarship at Solihull School, is also keen on computer science but it’s not all maths, equations and algorithms, as he also plays rugby for the school’s under-13s first team and enjoys tennis.
However, he admits Maths is his first love, saying: “I like maths because it’s interesting and it is so rewarding when you solve a hard problem or do well in a paper.”
