Hatherop Castle School Celebrates Maths Week England

Hatherop Castle School marked the start of Maths Week England with a range of exciting and enriching activities across the Prep School.

Year 6 pupils kicked off the week with a memorable trip to Cheltenham Racecourse, where they discovered how maths plays a vital role in the world of horse racing. From calculating distances and understanding weights to seeing real-life maths in action behind the scenes, the visit brought classroom learning to life in a hands-on and dynamic way.

Back at school, the focus on varied and engaging learning continues. In Years 7 and 8, pupils take on the role of the teacher, working through examples and explaining methods to their peers. This pupil-led approach develops confidence, communication skills, and deeper understanding.

Across all year groups, pupils undertake daily mathematical challenges and games, designed to spark curiosity, encourage problem-solving, and celebrate the joy of maths.

As part of the week’s celebrations, outdoor learning has also played a key role. Year 5 ventured outside for a practical and creative approach to fractions, using natural resources to deepen their understanding. Pupils began by finding a thin stick, breaking it into equal pieces, such as quarters, and then reconstructing it like a nature jigsaw. Many extended the task by exploring other materials like leaves and pine cones.

Working in groups, children then built their own fraction walls from sticks. This quickly became a problem-solving exercise as they realised the importance of using sticks of similar lengths to create accurate fractional parts. The activity concluded with pupils using their fraction walls to investigate equivalent fractions, making connections between different representations in a memorable, hands-on way. The takeaway? When in doubt, sticks make excellent tools for learning fractions!

To keep the excitement going at home, we are sharing a favourite classroom challenge called “Got It”.
This is a simple but strategic two-player game:
• Choose a target number, for example 23
• Using whole numbers from 1 to 4
• Players take turns adding one number from the range to a running total
• The winner is the person who reaches the target number exactly

It’s quick, fun, and an excellent way to build number fluency at home.

Maths Week England showcases the enthusiasm, creativity, and teamwork that make maths at Hatherop Castle School such a vibrant part of school life.