Mathmagician Johnny Ball visits Bucks school to celebrate Number Day
Children year three to five where shown fun and visual ways to learn maths
Last updated 2nd Feb 2024
Pupils at High March School in Beaconsfield were joined by television star and mathmagician Johnny Ball for the NSPCC's Number Day.
Years three to five were mesmerised by the show Mr Ball put on, with fun and creative ways of teaching maths.
With props and audience participation, children were taught number-counting methods from the greatest mathematicians around the world, all revolving around visual ways of learning.
"... I do maths in pictures, everything is visual, and once it's visual you can understand it so much quicker."
Johnny Ball himself spoke to Greatest Hits Radio about the importance of making maths accessible and interesting.
He said: "Maths underpins everything you do, everything in life, whether you're going to be an artist, and engineer, scientist, maths is the most important thing."
"The Greeks always did maths in pictures, and I do maths in pictures, everything is visual, and once it's visual you can understand it so much quicker."
"When you think about great artists, including pop artists, that's rhythm and rhythm is all mathematics..."
Maths is everywhere, in everything we do, which is what Aiza, Pippa and Alice pointed out.
All three girls, who spoke to Greatest Hits Radio, learned about the link between maths and music at a school assembly.
Aiza said: "It's really linked to maths because you have to know how many beats are in a bar."
This was echoed by Mr Ball himself, who said: "When you think about great artists, including pop artists, that's rhythm and rhythm is all mathematics, and we lose sight of that."
For the event, pupils at the school dressed up as Rock Stars, taking part in the NSPCC Rocks, a nationwide online times tables competition which encouraged them to practice multiplication and division.
"Children always have so much fun during Number Day, while they explore their love of maths and learn essential life skills..."
Sharon Walker, Head of Upper School at High March School, said: “We were thrilled to welcome Johnny Ball to High March, the children thoroughly enjoyed his highly entertaining workshop and the assortment of maths challenges and activities organised by our maths department.
“The NSPCC has been our school charity since 1948 so it is wonderful to be able to support them again in this way whilst inspiring our girls to see maths as very much a subject for them.”
The NSPCC, a national charity working to support children around the country, celebrates the numbers event every year for pupils to enjoy maths-related activities and games, while raising funds for the charity.
Stephanie Coleman, NSPCC Schools Fundraiser, said: “Children always have so much fun during Number Day, while they explore their love of maths and learn essential life skills. Over 6,000 schools calculated the benefits of taking part and we can’t thank them enough for supporting the charity.
“Around 90 per cent of the NSPCC’s income comes from supporters, including schools, and the charity simply couldn’t run its vital services that help so many children and young people without this support. After all, every pound raised adds up.”