May Half-Term 2026 Live Maths Courses: Your Complete Guide
The Junior Kangaroo and Junior Mathematical Olympiad take place on 9th June, making May half-term the ideal time for focused preparation. We’re running intensive courses all week for ages 11-13, plus IGCSE revision for ages 14-16. All courses are taught live by me (Kevin), with lesson notes provided after every session.
An introduction to Olympiad problem-solving and solution-writing
If you are taking the Junior Mathematical Olympiad on 9th June this course provides an introduction to Olympiad style problem-solving, focused on Q1-4 of the paper and targeting the Merit and Distinction thresholds.
There’s a huge difference between the JMC and the Olympiad. Students get very little credit for correct answers alone and must write detailed solutions to score well. In this course we will work through a range of Olympiad-style problems across the most common topics, focusing on how to solve the problems as well as how to write up the solutions.
This course is ideal for students who are taking the Olympiad for the first time or who have taken it before and want to establish a solid foundation to tackle these exceptionally challenging problems.
Many students will take both the Core and Advanced tracks for the most through preparation.
Advanced Olympiad techniques for Distinction and Medal Winning
The Advanced course is aimed at students who already have some experience with Olympiad-style problem-solving and are aiming for Distinctions or Medals in the JMO on 9th June.
The course will focus on questions 3-6 of the Olympiad, covering a mixture of topics but with a focus on preparing students for the most challenging JMO questions that demand creative mathematical arguments and elegant reasoning.
Many students will take both the Core and Advanced tracks for the most through preparation.
Strategic preparation for the Kangaroo
The Junior Kangaroo takes place on 9th June. It’s a 60-minute multiple-choice paper that tests mathematical problem-solving at a level beyond the JMC, rewarding both accuracy and speed.
We’ll work through problems at the level of the Kangaroo across the full range of topics that come up, targeting the problems that will help students achieve Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates.
This course is ideal for students who qualified for the Junior Kangaroo through the JMC and want focused, intensive preparation during half-term, but interested students are welcome whether or not they are taking the competition.
Final revision for grades 7-9
With IGCSE exams just weeks away, this is a focused three-day revision course covering mixed Higher tier topics designed to build confidence on the grade 7-9 questions that matter the most.
This course runs Tuesday to Thursday only (three sessions) and is most suitable for students sitting the Edexcel IGCSE Mathematics Higher paper, though students studying for other GCSE specifications will still find most of the content relevant.
About Your Teacher
Expert Teaching from Dr. Kevin Olding
After obtaining First Class undergraduate and Masters degrees in Mathematics from Magdalen College, Oxford, Kevin taught at Westminster School and Dulwich College. He later completed his PhD in Mathematics at the University of Bath while founding Mathsaurus.
Kevin’s students have achieved places at leading UK schools and universities, with many earning Olympiad medals. Over 50,000 students have taken Kevin’s courses, with a combined social media following of over 65,000 across YouTube and TikTok.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t attend every session live?
All of the May half-term courses will be recorded, with recordings and lesson notes available after each session. So if you can’t make any of the classes live you will be able to catch up with the recordings.
What’s the difference between Junior Olympiad Core and Advanced?
The Core track builds the fundamentals of Olympiad problem-solving, working through questions that increase in difficulty. It’s ideal if this is your first Olympiad preparation. The Advanced track is for students already confident with Olympiad problems who want to push for a medal, with every problem at the hardest level. Many students will take both the Core and Advanced tracks for the most through preparation. Not sure which to choose? Email hello@mathsaurus.com for guidance.
Do I need to have qualified for the Kangaroo or Olympiad?
These courses are designed for students who qualified through the JMC, but any student who enjoys challenging mathematics at this level is welcome to join. Many students who have not qualified automatically also enter the Kangaroo and Olympiad round via discretionary entries.
Do I need to have taken previous Mathsaurus courses?
No. Each course is self-contained. If you’d like to catch up on earlier material first, recorded versions of previous courses are available from the live classes booking page.
How to Book
All bookings can be made via the button here, or see more info at the page linked here. If you’re unsure which course is right, email hello@mathsaurus.com for guidance.