Academic year
2026-27
Programme definitions can be shared between schools, while each school controls whether and how it is delivered locally.
MSC Programme
MSC Competitions
Structured challenges that can recognise team and tutor-group performance while keeping subject learning at the centre.
Overview
What this programme is for
MSC competitions provide a shared challenge structure around subject learning. They can recognise strong mathematical, scientific and computing work, teamwork and improvement without turning competition itself into the curriculum.
Relationship to the curriculum
Competition is an optional delivery layer around the shared MSC curriculum. Curriculum content, subject outcomes and delivery boundaries remain authoritative; competition scoring can recognise how well students apply them.
Delivery model
How the programme can work
01
Use a defined challenge or strand outcome with transparent criteria.
02
Score teams, pairs or tutor groups using subject-relevant evidence rather than popularity.
03
Aggregate results fairly where a wider tutor-group or school competition is being run.
Outcomes
What it is designed to develop
- Motivate purposeful participation.
- Recognise collaboration and high-quality outcomes.
- Create shared challenges between groups and, where appropriate, schools.
Adaptation
What schools can change
- Schools can choose whether competitions are individual, pair, tutor-group or inter-school.
- Scoring criteria can vary by project, but should stay tied to the learning and evidence produced.
- Public leaderboards should avoid exposing named student results unless there is a clear, appropriate reason.
Curriculum links
Connected learning
Schools