Maths Tales Contest 2025

Join in with our Maths Tales Contest 2025!

In partnership with Read Write Count with The First Minister

We are thrilled to announce the return of our Math Tales Contest for Maths Week Scotland 2025, in partnership with Read Write Count with The First Minister. This exciting story-writing competition invites young authors in classes P2-7 to create a tale incorporating some maths elements.

Fantastic prizes await the winners in two categories: First Level (P2 - P4) and Second Level (P5 - P7). Pick one of the templates to get you started, and unleash your learners’ creativity! Find out how to take part below .

Dates

Contest Opens: Monday 1 September 2025 at 8am

Contest Closes: Friday 3 October 2025 at 6pm

Winners Announced: During Book Week Scotland (17 – 23 November 2025)

Who can enter?

We welcome entries from any children in Scotland in Primary 2 to Primary 7. Judging will be across two age categories:

  • First Level (P2 - P4)
  • Second Level (P5 - P7)

Prizes will be awarded within both age categories.

Home-educated children are also welcome to enter. Please select the category equivalent to your learning level.

Please note that only individual entries are possible (i.e. one child/author per story). Team entry is not possible.

How to enter?

We encourage you to incorporate this year's Wild Maths theme in to your story. For example, this could be reflected in the setting, the characters, or the plot.

How you incorporate the theme is up to you, but all entries must include the following three required elements:

  • A shape
  • A number
  • The Maths Week Scotland mascot, Finn Finity

Entries can be a comic strip, a picture with short story, or a freestyle written story. Illustrations are encouraged, though we will also accept written only entries. Both hand written and typed entries will be accepted.

Download one of the templates below to get started. Submissions are via the form at the foot of this page.

  • All drawn or written entries should be a maximum of two pages, using one of our templates.
  • Entries can be in English or in Scottish Gaelic.
  • Please make sure to complete the entry details at the top of the first page (child's first name, year group, school and story title).

We will also be accepting entries in BSL via video. Your video should be a maximum of 3 minutes long. See "how to submit your entry" below for more details.

Templates

All drawn or written entries must be in portrait format, using one of our templates.

You can use art materials of your choice, but bold and bright designs will get the best results if being digitised.

How to submit your entry

Entries must be submitted by an adult on behalf of the child. As well as teachers, the competition is open to home-educated children and, if you are a parent or guardian, you are welcome to submit your child's entry individually. For home-educated children, please state the year group equivalent to your learning level.

Entries must be submitted via the form below. Entries will not be accepted via email or social media, with the exception of BSL video entries.

Drawn/ Written Entry Check List:

  • Include each child’s first name, year group, school and story title at the top of their first page.
  • Save entries in PDF, JPG or DOC format (scan hand drawn/ illustrated entries if necessary).
  • Please include the name of your school in the document name*
  • If you want to submit multiple entries, you may upload them all as one document or submit them separately, whichever works best for you.

* Note for home educators: For document naming, instead of name of school, you can put your child's first name.

BSL Entry Check List

  • BSL video entries should be a maximum of 3 minutes long.
  • Remember to give your video/ story a title.
  • Please upload your video to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Vimeo and include the link in your entry form (If you do not have access to any of these sites, please email us on mathsweekscot@nms.ac.uk).
  • For video entries, please only include one entry per form.

Please submit your entry by 6pm on Friday 3 October 2025. Late entries will not be considered.

If you are a teacher submitting entries from a school, please also make sure you have added yourself to our Maths Week Scotland schools map (this is not applicable to entries from families or home educators).

By entering the competition, entrants will be deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions.

If you have any issues submitting your entry, please email mathsweekscot@nms.ac.uk

The entry form will be available nearer the time.