A DORCHESTER schoolboy has proven himself to be a maths marvel after pitting himself against other youngsters from across the globe.

Sunninghill Preparatory School pupil Alex Shutt achieved his major success when he came 10th in the United Kingdom in the World Maths Day Challenge.

The 10-year-old maths whizz’s efforts also put him in 72nd place out of a total of 1.57million children taking on the challenge across the world.

After receiving a well-deserved medal, Form 6 pupil Alex said: “I was amazed by my success and my parents are really proud of me.”

Alex took part in the three-day challenge that gives children the chance to test their knowledge against other children from around the world.

He had to go through 10 challenges at progressively harder levels, with time limits in which he had to get as many questions right as possible.

Head of mathematics at Sunninghill Reuben Adams said he was delighted with Alex’s ‘phenomenal’ achievement.

He said: “For Alex to come 10th in the UK and 72nd in the whole world is phenomenal.

“We had some great achievements in all year groups but to be 10th in the whole of the United Kingdom was outstanding. “He is a dream to teach maths to as he soaks up new ideas, is very imaginative in his use of maths and rarely makes a mistake. The speed and accuracy of his answers was incredible.”

Mr Adams said the challenge had been a valuable learning experience for all the Sunninghill children who took part.

He said: “World Maths Day is a great way to get our school to think about maths and also to think about other children throughout the world who do not have the opportunities to learn what we do.” Alex was presented with his medal by Bronwen Jones of Mathletics, which runs the World Maths Day Challenge in partnership with UNICEF.

The youngster is already looking forward to next year’s event.

For more information about the challenge, visit worldmathsday.com