Ben Fairfax

European Junior Olympiad in Informatics (eJOI) 2026 UK Team Lead,
Junior Balkan Olympiad in Informatics 2026 UK Team Lead,
Dad, Husband, Maths PhD, Quant.

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

Gold Medal IMO LLMs represent 9 hrs work by best pre-uni students. Showing Navier-Stokes from smooth state can blow up, is something mathematical community has been trying to resolve for 90 years (i.e. thousands of hours). A step change in capability. https://t.co/vzZE2FnDfw

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@MrLDewick @MickMills @Manxy Just for reference (over all boards) A-Level Maths A*-C grades 2023 (Ofqual):

A* 16.5%
A 24.5%
B-C 35%

Your numbers speak for themselves, well done to yourself, RGS Maths Dep, and students.

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@MrLDewick @MickMills @Manxy 31 A*s sets you up for large cohort to suggest moving onto Math & F.Math A-level. For RGS Maths Dep and students themselves its great outcome.

[Bebras UK @bebrasuk]

UK Bebras and OUCC calendar updated for this academic year: https://t.co/wlteomkaVa
Looking forward to see how well, experienced and new school students, aged 6-18, handle this year’s challenges.

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@oke_jason @SLSingh @alexbellos https://t.co/Vi79IkPqqz

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@Ridermeister Thanks Tom, B3 ran very smoothly, & think we all did great. Already looking forward to MOG. Be happy being problem captain or examiner, MOG lead should just fit me in were the think best. MOGs widespread appeal with 3,000+ entrants mean it will be all hands-on deck come October.

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@Ridermeister Tom, you ran a very slick and efficient JMO marking operation. Was a pleasure to be involved.

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@1stclassmaths If clear student would not gain much from repeating topic would suggest sit at back and solve UKMT/NRich problems (or similar). If student been accelerated in general would split their time between UKMT/NRich and continuing their journey via online platform. Stage not age.

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@RaspberryPi_org @bebrasuk Thx, 2022 challenges are available online but not 2023 ones:
https://t.co/Pe81g94EbO

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@RGS_IOM Great see maths department rolling out UKMT challenges for entire classes. Been involved marking Intermediate Olympiads this year. UKMT is wonderful organisation. Hope see you guy involved in upcoming JMC(April)/JMO(June) round for Year 7/8.

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@Ridermeister @ParkerMaths @DrPMaths Tom, are you saying can give chatGTP-4 an image with some maths, and it will write the corresponding LaTeX? If so save so many of us, so much time.

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@FrankStajano Looking forward to your video (sorry to be presumptuous) on the risk/reward trade off AI presents. No idea how to define "better than GTP-4", but my 2 cents is different domain application areas present different risk characteristics. (1/2)

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@MrLDewick One thing which bothered me, was how can I motivate validity of Maclaurin series expansion for A-level students. And point out valid for complex variable 'z' i.e. Laurent Series, in turn touch on Riemann Surface. Maths is so much fun!(2/2)

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@MrLDewick A-level maths/F.Maths is always fun. Last fun thing I did was derive exp^(i.z) = Cos z + i Sin z (Euler), via power series expansions, and via Trig Ratios, and vice versa. Wanted to derive without calculus notions... Anyway, playing around with this kept me entertained. (1/2)

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@IOMCodeClub Python during first few years secondary, then Python, and Olympiad all be in C++ but that lot later). (2/2)

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@IOMCodeClub Great stuff. Not sure Club has considered https://t.co/u0XQMJz9bT which if get over given score leads to Oxford's https://t.co/OW7KbJPcE6 from which may then lead to mentoring, and eventually could end in International Olympiad. Use Blockie (similar Scratch but wrapper ...(1/2)

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@JoshuaStokesITV Josh have you investigated this in detail, and taken the press release at face value. Just think could be more to this.... For example the following may have occurred here: https://t.co/X2OnnV2qJt

[Peter Williams @MathsImpact]

NASUWT members need to hang their heads in shame, there is no excuse for failing to send in your ballot, it came through your door with a pre-paid envelope.

Whether you approve of strike action or not, you must make your voice heard.

https://t.co/uHVlNx0Rci

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@2of @ASA_UK Here is a good example IoM DESC has drawn catchment areas boundaries around social housing estates so middle class parents do not ring up MHKs and moan:

https://t.co/CBARQVixnG

[Department of Education, Sport and Culture @iomdesc]

Parents can find out which schools are in their catchment area online - https://t.co/xQkLMgFkGj, or by contacting the Department of Education, Sport and Culture on [phone] or [email protected].

[Ben Fairfax @DrBenMaths]

@2of @ASA_UK British life has always had one group trying to impose cultural values on others (typical via class system). The weakest always come off worse, 100+ years ago that was women, 50+ years ago LGBT etc. I do not like censorship but in way is part of British life, US on other hand...