Enrichment

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I acknowledge to knowing real piddling close how schoolhouse finances work. Some schools own got hundreds of iPads, others own got leaking roofs. It's all a mystery to me. Due to budgetary constraints I've solely been on ane maths schoolhouse trip inward the concluding 5 years. This leads me to wonder how of import enrichment is, in addition to what schools tin give the axe create when coin is tight.

Why enrichment?
When I was a teenager I did nada inward maths beyond what was needed to go past times my exams. Apart from a dyad of maths competitions, my schoolhouse did non 'enrich' our mathematics education. I liked maths because I was proficient at it - maths lessons were my comfort zone. I enjoyed the satisfaction of solving problems but I had no involvement inward mathematics exterior the classroom. I await that many of my electrical flow students experience the same way.

Maths In Action

H5N1 dyad of years agone I accompanied a grouping of xx Year 12 students to a twenty-four sixty minutes catamenia of Maths inward Action lectures. I saw amazing speakers including Simon Singh in addition to Hannah Fry. I'm convinced that this trip made me a meliorate maths teacher. Not solely did I larn loads of cool novel stuff to portion amongst my students, I also gained a novel enthusiasm for mathematics. I'm certain at to the lowest degree some of my Year 12 students must own got felt inspired too. Perhaps they went on to report maths at academy every bit a result.

Education is all close making students to a greater extent than knowledgeable, so nosotros should portion mathematics inward all its glory - non only the content of the examination syllabus. I've written close these ideas earlier inward my post service Off on a Tangent. We must give our students opportunities to appreciate the wonders of mathematics.

There are loads of brilliant places for mathematical schoolhouse trips. Bletchley Park is a wonderful example. The Mathematics Gallery at the Science Museum is due to go out the world's initiative of all mathematics gallery afterwards a recent £5 ane M 1000 donation, so volition no uncertainty go out an outstanding finish for schoolhouse trips. The MathsWorldUK projection is also exciting. Maths Inspiration events are brilliant. Sometimes though it's non practical or affordable to own got students out on trips. Bringing speakers into schoolhouse is a proficient alternative.

A persuasion of the novel Mathematics Gallery

In-School Speakers
H5N1 piece agone I asked Twitter close maths speakers in addition to I was real grateful to have dozens of useful replies. I've listed a pick of speakers below. Costs are typically inward the part £200 - £600.

Kjartan Poskitt

Kjartan Poskitt, author of Murderous Maths, comes highly recommended. Talks include 'Isaac Newton in addition to his Falling Apple' in addition to 'Mayhem amongst Maths in addition to Music'. In his Murderous Maths sessions he performs a diverseness of features from his Murderous Maths books including flexagons, magic squares, foreign disclose facts, knots, tricks, amazing disclose predictions in addition to so on. Full details are available on his website.

Matt Parker (@standupmaths) runs Think Maths, a group of fantastic speakers who view schools to perform maths talks in addition to workshops for all ages in addition to abilities. Topics hit from topology, disclose theory in addition to probability to magic in addition to maths inward pop culture.

James Grime (@jamesgrime) travels extensively giving world talks all over the world. Details of fees in addition to workshops are available on his website. For trial 'The Enigma Project' is a presentation close the history in addition to mathematics of codes in addition to code breaking including a demonstration of an master copy WWII Enigma Machine, followed past times code breaking workshops. It's suitable for pupils of all ages in addition to abilities from Key Stage ii to Key Stage 5.

Bletchley Park (@BletchleyParkGB) offers 'Enigma Outreach' inward which they convey a genuine, working Enigma machine to your school. Visits are built only about the demonstration of this iconic slice of World War II history, in addition to tin give the axe also include presentations on the history of Bletchley Park, interactive talks on codes in addition to ciphers, in addition to hands on codebreaking workshops. Full details in addition to fees are available here.

Colin Beveridge (@icecolbeveridge) offers 'Games, Goats in addition to Gold' which uses pop game shows to demonstrate that thinking clearly close probability isn’t only proficient for your exams, but has applications inward the slightly-more-real but only every bit arbitrary globe of prime number fourth dimension TV. The workshop is aimed at brilliant Year nine students, but tin give the axe last adapted for most secondary schoolhouse groups. Details of this verbalize in addition to others are available on Flying Colours Maths.

Colin Wright (@ColinTheMathmo) comes highly recommended. He offers a collection of talks in addition to workshops that hit from ages xiii in addition to onwards. One of his most pop talks, 'Juggling: Theory in addition to Practice' is close the mathematics of juggling. Further data close his hit of talks is available on his website.

Colin Wright

Dr Matt Pritchard (@ScienceMagician) is an award-winning magician, comedian in addition to creative communicator. He delivers talks inward schools on both maths in addition to scientific discipline topics. His maths talks include 'Magical Maths' in addition to 'The Man Who Cannot Lose'. He also has a session aimed at D1 students - 'From Facebook Friends to Postman Pat'. Full details are available on his website.

Rob Eastaway (@robeastaway) is the writer of a disclose of mathematical books and the Director of Maths Inspiration, a national programme of interactive lecture shows. He offers a fantastic pick of in-school talks including 'What's the indicate of maths?', 'When Maths Meets Psychology', 'Maths on the Back of an Envelope' in addition to 'From Pepsi to Peace Deals'. Many of his talks are suitable for Sixth Form students. See his website for to a greater extent than information.

Ben Sparks (@SparksMaths) plant part-time amongst the Further Maths Support Programme as a speaker, tutor in addition to co-ordinator, in addition to part-time every bit a freelance maths enrichment speaker only about the United Kingdom of Great Britain in addition to Northern Ireland of Britain in addition to Northern Republic of Ireland – including with Maths Inspiration. His talks, including 'The Creation of Number' in addition to 'Pretty Irrational' are listed on his website. 

Puzzle Days in addition to Workshops
If yous own got a proficient laid upwardly of resources so yous may last able to run puzzle workshops yourself (FunMaths Roadshow materials are solely £27). Alternatively, at that spot are companies who tin give the axe come upwardly to your schoolhouse to run workshops for yous - hither are some examples:

The 7puzzle Company (@7puzzle) delivers fun in addition to effective maths workshops inward both principal in addition to secondary schools all over the UK. The games played non solely challenge children’s disclose skills, but also deed every bit a confidence-builder. They comprise strategy, logic, shape in addition to space, retention in addition to visual aspects every bit good every bit helping children to focus on the social etiquette of communicating, listening, turn-taking, sharing in addition to team-working piece participating inward the activities. Further data close the 7puzzle experience is available here.

The 7puzzle experience

MMP Hands-On Maths Roadshow (@mathsroadshow). The NRICH Hands-On Maths Roadshow is a collection of hands-on mathematical puzzles, games in addition to activities that tin give the axe last brought to schools for a exceptional maths event. Roadshow activities are designed to promote creative approaches to mathematics in addition to strategic thinking in addition to to own mathematical curiosity. The Roadshow tin give the axe last tailored to suit diverse historic catamenia ranges, from Key Stage 1 to 4. The fee is £595 for a amount twenty-four sixty minutes catamenia in addition to £415 for a one-half twenty-four sixty minutes catamenia - amount details are available here.

The Problem Solving Company (@problemsolveit) offers fun filled days of hands-on maths challenges to students from Early Years to KS3. Their maths puzzle days promote thinking, logical reasoning in addition to mathematical agreement amongst an emphasis on teamwork in addition to discussion. They also run Year 6/7 Transition Days in addition to Sixth Form Team Building Days. Further data in addition to prices are available here.

The Problem Solving Company

Happy Puzzle Company (@happypuzzle) also runs Puzzle Challenge Days for Schools - click here for details.

Maths competitions - local in addition to national - are some other neat source of enrichment, though they oft involve solely a handful of high-attainers. It's worth offering opportunities to whole yr groups too.

Affordable enrichment
Don't forget that your nearest Maths Hub mightiness run enrichment events. For trial the Surrey Plus Maths Hub runs Inspiration Days (featuring speakers such every bit Matt Parker) that students tin give the axe attend for complimentary - spaces are available on a kickoff come, kickoff served basis.

Look out for grant schemes also - your schoolhouse could have fiscal assistance to run maths enrichment events.

This post service past times no agency represents an exhaustive listing of speakers in addition to workshops. If you're looking for enrichment opportunities so you'll notice a plethora of providers inward the STEM Directories. If yous own got whatsoever recommendations from personal experience so delight comment below.

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