The Prep School once again demonstrated its commitment to charitable activities by celebrating the NSPCC Number Day for the fifth consecutive year. This special event featured a variety of number-related activities, challenges, puzzles, and tasks, showcasing the importance of numbers and Maths in everyday life.
A highlight of the day was the 'Dress up for Digits' challenge. On this non-uniform day, pupils and staff wore clothing featuring numbers and made a £1.00 donation to the NSPCC. The creativity was impressive, with many pupils designing their own costumes, T-shirts, or simply wearing their favourite sports tops, caps, or onesies.
The school is always thrilled to support the NSPCC, a charity that provides crucial services such as advice on children's mental health, online safety, and support for parents. The children are particularly familiar with Childline and the vital work it does.
The Year 6 Round Square Service leaders and Wellbeing Ambassadors interviewed Mr. Avis, the Prep School’s Maths Coordinator. He remarked, "It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to explore the broader applications of numbers. The children and staff engaged deeply with Maths, seeing how it extends beyond the classroom into everyday life. It was wonderful to see the children challenge themselves, discuss their mistakes, and share their strategies. It was marvellous to see so many new games being played, including Mrs Whitaker’s brilliant ‘Number Maze’ with Henry trying different strategies to escape!”
The children also shared their excitement about the day. Rayyan, a Year 5 pupil, said, "I loved helping make my costume and seeing everyone's creative outfits. The puzzles were really fun, and I learned a lot!" Meanwhile, Henry and Skylar from Year 3 commented "The math games were awesome, even the tricky ones! I enjoyed solving the challenges with my friends."
Class Teachers were impressed by the children's enthusiasm and engagement, noting the confident use of mathematical language and concepts. The creativity and problem-solving skills displayed were commendable, making the day a memorable experience for all.
Parents were overwhelmingly positive about Number Day, appreciating the effort put in by the teachers to make math fun and engaging. Many noticed an increase in their children's enthusiasm leading up to the event. Overall, Number Day was a huge success, positively impacting students' learning and confidence in math. A final congratulations to all the prize winners for best costumes. I hope you enjoy completing your puzzle book prizes – well deserved!
Thanks to everyone's support, this year's event surpassed last year's donation total. The Round Square Service team also reported on how each year group spent their day, highlighting the fun and educational activities that reinforced math skills. The excitement and enjoyment were evident in the day's photographs.
Read on to find out in more detail what each year group got up to and to view our fantastic photo gallery!
Nursery had non-stop fun enjoying a range of games from simply adding Lego to playing ‘Maths train tracks’ and building structures with number shapes! It was wonderful to see how many of the children displayed excellent number recognition singing their new number song – ‘Five Little Gingerbread Men’.
Reception enjoyed a fun and lively day of Maths challenges and games, including making symmetrical Numicon Butterflies and pairing number bond flowers. It was great to hear them recall and understand number bonds alongside addition and subtraction facts.
Year 1 had an exciting day traveling around the world through their number bonds games. They played games that helped them understand number bonds to 10 and 20, confidently sharing their knowledge of factors, multiples, doubles, and halves. The children also enjoyed playing Times Tables Bingo, where they quickly identified answers for the 2, 5, and 10 times tables. The day ended with a fun addition and subtraction Bingo game, and the children loved using ladybird spots to practice doubling numbers. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm and confidence in math!
Year 2 absolutely loved their games, starting with the ever-popular Buddy’s Key Challenge. They solved puzzles to find keys and unlock rewards, which was both fun and educational. The dice games were a hit, helping the children practice counting, addition, and subtraction. They also played Place Value Champions, using terms like "more than," "less than," "count on," and "count back" with ease. The children’s excitement and use of mathematical language were fantastic to witness.
Year 3 had a day filled with creativity and competition. They started by drawing Fibonacci spirals, exploring the fascinating patterns in nature and mathematics. The children then played French Bingo, combining their math skills with learning French numbers. Their knowledge of times tables was impressive, and the competitive spirit during the bingo game was palpable. The drawings of Fibonacci spirals were both beautiful and accurate, showcasing their artistic and mathematical talents.
Year 4 enjoyed a variety of puzzles, problem-solving activities, and challenges. They played Bingo in German, which helped them practice their German numbers while reinforcing math skills. Buddy’s Key Challenge provided more complex puzzles, and the children showed great perseverance. They also created number gardens with times table flowers during Maths on Toast, demonstrating systematic working and creativity. The mixed bag of activities kept them engaged and excited throughout the day.
Year 5 had a math-packed day, starting with learning Roman numerals in Latin with Mrs. Haworth. They then played Bingo in Spanish, combining math skills with learning Spanish numbers. Maths on Toast involved more advanced challenges, and the children created detailed 12 petal flowers, each representing a different times table. Buddy’s Key Challenge during registration was a fun start to the day. The students showed great enthusiasm and accuracy in all their activities.
Year 6 pupils stretched their minds with a range of problem-solving challenges linked to decimals, percentages, and ratios. They participated in the Ratio Rally, solving ratio problems with ease. The highlight of the day was the complex ‘Mystery of the Missing Plane Ticket,’ where many children successfully identified Nathan as the thief. They also enjoyed class favourites on Maths Playground and later played Maths Blooket, combining strategy with math skills. A big thank you to the Year 6 Round Square Service pupils for their outstanding coverage of the activities throughout the day. Well done everyone!