A message from the Head of Primary School
This week we are pleased to celebrate national Mathematics week. You may be surprised to learn that when I meet our students at enrolment interviews and ask them what their favourite subject is, Maths is a common response and I think this is a wonderful indicator that our future will be in safe hands.
In Primary School we are responsible for building a solid foundation of mathematical understanding that students can then build upon in Middle and Senior School. Some of these skills are supported with physical materials and are very hands on, while other skills are mental or written by nature. One area I do believe passionately about is the learning of multiplication tables.
Many parents may remember being given a small times table and basic maths book as a child at school. Some may remember having a times table grid on the back of exercise books along with some conversion data. This foundational knowledge was promoted everywhere and played an important role in helping students to take on harder challenges.
When multiplication facts are able to be recalled instantly and accurately, that information is in long term memory. When a child is trying to solve a maths problem, their instant times table recall comes from long term memory. This allows their working memory to be freed up to focus on solving the problem. This is a key benefit of knowing times tables. Of course there are many other benefits including increasing confidence and helping to develop number sense, but I really believe it makes a big difference to a student's ability to solve problems independently.
In the classroom, Maths lessons that are rigorous and fun keep our students thriving in this area. At home I encourage you to bring maths to life whenever you get the chance. From small challenges while shopping for groceries to calculating how long it takes to get to your destination when you hop in the car, there are always plenty of opportunities to highlight the maths we use in everyday life.