WIREDGOV

Four students from Stratford-upon-Avon have claimed first place in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Data Challenge with their impressive project to tackle the area’s traffic congestion.

The King Edward VI pupils impressed the judges with their comparison of rush-hour traffic in St Alphege in Solihull with Guildhall and Bridgetown in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The team found that despite Stratford’s smaller population, traffic remained high due to tourism, limited remote work, and reliance on few main roads. Their analysis of pre- and post-pandemic population and traffic data revealed that population growth in Stratford was also a contributing factor, which led them to recommend a targeted congestion charge in Stratford’s busiest zones, based on successful congestion schemes like London’s.

Mary Gregory, ONS Director for Population Statistics and Census, and head judge of the challenge, recently said:

"It’s been such a pleasure to judge the ONS Data Challenge 2025, and I’ve been really impressed with the submissions.

"Data is critical to so many decisions and working with real data gives you an insight into the complexity of making real-world decisions on sometimes incomplete data.

"There are many aspects to good analysis, from understanding the data to using appropriate techniques and communicating your findings. All our subject winners showed these different aspects, with the ONS Data Challenge 2025 Champions especially standing out for the range of data they considered and the presentation of their approach. Well done to everyone involved."

The challenge, which saw hundreds of students age 16 to 18 take part, wrapped up at a virtual event on Tuesday 13 January where all winners were announced.

The winning team from King Edward VI will also receive a signed letter of commendation from the ONS to support their university or job applications and a £250 voucher for their school.

The students were able to submit a project under one of four subject areas: maths, business studies, sociology and geography. In addition to being the overall winner, the King Edward VI pupils were also the winners of the maths category.

A team from Christ's College in Finchley won the business studies category for their proposal of a Youth Enterprise and Skills Hub for ages 18 to 30, following their comparison of Newham and Barnet which revealed that despite similar population sizes, Newham faced weaker economic outcomes, higher unemployment, lower income, and fragile businesses.

The sociology category was won by a student at St Angela's Ursuline School who analysed economic, social, and crime factors in Woolwich using ONS data from 2011 and 2021 to assess regeneration impacts on social inequality. They found that regeneration often benefits wealthier groups while leaving working-class communities behind, challenging the assumption that regeneration is always positive and highlighting its potential to increase inequality.

A student from Sutton Grammar School won the geography category with a project highlighting how limited and inflexible transport services isolate communities and restrict access to essential activities. Their analysis of census data confirmed uneven public transport development in Ashtead, leaving many areas without adequate bus services. The study emphasizes the role of big data in identifying transport inequalities and shaping strategies.

Notes for Editors

• The ONS Data Challenge is an innovative competition to help develop critical data skills in the classroom. Open to students aged 16 to 18, it gives them the chance to work with real data while learning important skills for their future.
• The ONS Data Challenge aligns with many subjects in the school curriculum, including business studies, geography, maths and sociology. Students have the opportunity to collect their own data and work on projects that address important challenges for society.
• More information about this year’s competition and the winners can be found on the ONS website.
• This project is part of a wider educational programme that is helping UK students gain a better understanding of data and statistics.