Brilliantly gifted, he has taken out the top prize in the Newcastle Permanent Primary School mathematics competition, which 16,000 students entered.

The Tenambit Public School maths whiz answered correctly all 35 exam questions, beating students from 294 schools across the Hunter, Central Coast, Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, New England and Central West.

“Maths is easy. I like calculus,” he said.

“I would like a career with maths. The questions in the exam were not hard until the last one, but I got it right.”

Mum Kate Punch noticed James Harvey’s gift when he was two and he taught himself to read.

“Mathematics comes naturally to him. He does not find it difficult.

“When he went into year 2 his teacher noticed he stood out and told me about his maths ability.”

Mrs Punch said her son’s ability to solve mathematical problems surpassed her ability and was something he had inherited from his father Marcus Punch.

“James Harvey has a passion for maths,” Mrs Punch said.

“While he is excited about his win, he does not like the limelight, he wants to get on with his maths and be left in peace.

“We are extremely proud of him.”

James Harvey will start secondary school at age 11 at the selective Merewether High School next year.

He skipped year five, is now in year six and is working from a year 11 maths text.

His dream is to compete in the International Mathematical Olympiad.

The 56th International Mathematical Olympiad will be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from July 4 until July 16 next year.