A bunch of bright-spark students have found the winning fundraising formula after taking part in a 24-hour maths challenge and raising over £6,900 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.

From 9am to 9am the next day, a group of 24 sixth formers from Queen Mary’s Grammar School in Walsall settled into their desks to endure 24 hours of consecutive maths lessons, delivered by 24 different teachers from the school.

It’s not the first time the students have taken on the challenge though. Led by maths teachers, Alec Scott and Aaron Mitchell, the school has run the endurance fundraiser for its pupils for the last few years, but it was the latest event that saw their total almost quadruple for the cause.

The Midlands school has a proud sense of community and chose Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity to show support for the numerous students, friends and family members who have been cared for by the hospital over the years. Many were even inspired by Mr Mitchell, who read an excerpt of a blog, telling the story of a dad’s experience at the hospital as he watched his four-year-old son, undergoing treatment for Medulloblastoma, a type of cancer that affects the nervous system. Only when he’d finished reading did he reveal that dad was him.

On the day of the challenge, the whole school got behind the 24 mathematicians and teachers. Even when they began to flag during the twilight hours, the team spirit between the participants and the support from the rest of the school helped them reach their goal.

Mr Mitchell said: “While I have my own reasons to support Birmingham Children’s Hospital, seeing our whole school form a connection with the charity for their own reasons has been totally heart-warming.

“The event was such a hit and we’ve even got pupils asking to sign up for next year’s challenge. I’m so proud of all our participants, teachers and supporting students for helping to raise such an incredible amount.”

Miranda Williams, Head of Public Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Staying awake for 24 hours is no mean feat but to fill those hours with maths lessons takes a huge amount of dedication and will power and that’s exactly what the students at Queen Mary’s Grammar School had bags of.

“We’re so grateful for their amazing efforts and the awe-inspiring total they raised which will go on to help us support countless patients and their families.”