A week-long celebration of all things maths has taken place at St Laurence junior school in Ramsgate..
The activities began with a surprise visit from Captain Morgan, fresh from the Caribbean. He enlisted the help of the pupils to use their problem-solving skills to find his lost ship – The Good Ship Mathematics. They had to hunt down and solve the swash-buckling clues. Luckily nobody had to walk the plank!
Next up was a day of maths in the school houses. Earth, Water, Air and Fire houses took part in a vast array of mathematical workshops throughout the day and were able to put their problem-solving skills to the test. From exciting time challenges with Mr Wells and Mrs Marazzi and maths quizzes with Mr Spencer and Miss Cramp, to party planning with Miss Sig and Mrs Mountjoy, great fun was had by all.
Muggles from across the school also attended Professor Goldmith’s and Professor Keeley’s wizard training. They measured out potions, drew out dragon pens with a perimeter of 6m, took part in Quidditch (measuring their throws with metre wheels), ordered measurements in herbology and enlarged a Hogwarts’ shield in transfiguration class. All muggles graduated with full honours.
The week ended on a high with a ‘classroom escape’ workshop. This was an immersive experience promoting problem-solving, logical reasoning and team work. Children had to race against the clock to crack the codes in order to gain access to the next level.
They had to unlock the padlocks to release the key and stop the timer before time ran out. Challenges covered a range of mathematical topics including ordering, weights, coordinates, direction, shape, recording data, visual recognition and transformations to name a few.
The immersive nature of the escape boxes encouraged even the most reluctant mathematicians to take part and they often surprised themselves in the process. Children really enjoyed tackling the problems and many teams successfully managed to compete the challenge.
Deputy Head Louise Buckland said: “This week has all been about building children’s confidence, nurturing a love of maths and sparking an interest in a subject that impacts all of our lives, every day.
“We want to build a positive mindset towards maths and foster a can-do attitude. It’s been wonderful to see even the most reluctant mathematicians taking part, enjoying themselves and often surprising themselves in the process.”