At just 11, Cambridge Middle School student Freddie Fulforth is about to sit NCEA Level 1 in mathematics – an exam designed for 15-16 year-olds.
“He is a year 7 student sitting exams that some year 11s will find challenging to pass,” teacher Danielle Fuller said.
“A year 7 sitting exams four years ahead of their age group is very uncommon. He’s the only one at our school doing that and the only one in recent memory.”
Freddie’s mother Holly, who teaches at Leamington Primary School, and father James, a gastroenterologist, arranged a tutor for him this year to “take the pressure off the education system”, Holly said.
“It was very unlikely that in a class of 30, Fred’s needs would be able to be met – and as a teacher myself I recognise how difficult that would be,” she said.
While his classmates are learning maths, Freddie studies online through Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (the New Zealand Correspondence School), completing achievement standards needed for NCEA.
He also works with a tutor who visits his house to deliver targeted learning.
Freddie teamed up with two other exceptional 11-year-old Cambridge Middle School mathematicians, Smith Bosacker and Angus Clarke, to compete at this year’s BayMaths competition recently.
The contest got off to a shaky start for the trio, who scored 24/90 in an individual points section.
“It was pitiful,” Freddie said.
“The competition was stacked – particularly Peachgrove and Berkley – they were just smashing it.”
However, in a remarkable fight back, the boys pulled together in the final two sections to win the overall team challenge.
None of them could believe it, Smith said.
“We all just kind of stood up and looked at each other bewildered because we had no clue we were going to win. We got up and got our awards on stage and it felt great.”
Miss Fuller, who coordinated the team, said the team had done no preparation for the event, apart from competing at the WaiMaths competition earlier this year.
“Imagine what we could do with some training,” she said.
With the individual challenge factored in, the students finished ninth out of 38 teams overall and now have their sights set on winning BayMaths 2024.
“We have a very decent chance,” Smith said.
Meanwhile, Freddie is gearing up to sit his NCEA level 1 mathematics exam next month, which he expects will be tough.
“It’s very difficult… but it challenges me, and I like it because not many things challenge me,” he said.
Freddie Fulforth (right) with his BayMaths teammates Angus Clarke (left) and Smith Bosacker.
