Primary Insets/Workshops/Conference Talks

What Can the Chinese Learn from Us?

It's said that when it comes to maths, the average 16-year-old from China is about two years ahead of their British counterpart. That's one reason why there's been a big initiative to bring over teachers from Shanghai to share their secrets. But it's not all one way traffic. When it comes to creativity, there's a lot to learn from the British approach, with our strong culture of games, investigations and puzzles. Rob shares a range of activities that are engaging while also reinforcing the 'mastery' of maths that is so important.

Ah, Aha and Haha

Ask an adult to think back to the maths they learned at school, and very few will recall a subject that was creative. Yet maths can be one of the most creative subjects in the curriculum. Drawing on his experience as an author, presenter and parent, Rob concentrates on the side of maths that can be surprising, engaging and beautiful for children and adults of all abilities. With examples of games, curiosities and mathematical "magic", this workshop is about enriching teachers' own view of maths, as well as offering numerous ideas that can be transferred straight to the classroom.

How to Engage Parents

In primary school, the maths a child experiences at home is typically as influential as anything done at school. That's why getting parents involved is crucial to a child's confidence and success in maths. This workshop covers a range of strategies for getting parents on board, including tips on maths activities that parents can incorporate into their busy, time-constrained lives.

Captain Blackbelly's Treasure - and other Puzzling maths

Puzzles are the entry point for some of the most interesting ideas in maths. This workshop is entirely dedicated to puzzles that can intrigue and inspire children of all abilities. Most of these are 'low threshold' puzzles where children of all abilities can contribute to solutions, and where common sense plays as important a role as mathematical flair.

Maths & Magic

This workshop is entirely dedicated to mathematical "magic tricks". These provide excellent launch points for maths investigation in the classroom, particularly in key stage 2, and in most cases they offer plenty of opportunity for extension so that all abilities are catered for. For those who want some serious maths, there's plenty here, introduced in a friendly and accessible way: symmetry, factors, binary numbers, primes, proof and modulo arithmetic all feature.