Schools to trial new multiplication tables check

Starting this week, schools up and down the country will be able to try out the new multiplication tables check.

The check is designed to help ensure children in primary school know their times tables up to 12. As well as being important for everyday life, knowledge of times tables helps children to solve problems quickly and flexibly, and allows them to tackle more complex mathematics later on in school.

Schools will be able to sign up to and access the online system from today, allowing them to register pupils, familiarise themselves with the digital platform and let pupils try the check ahead of the national pilot in the summer.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said: "Maths touches so many aspects of everyday life so it’s hugely important that young people are equipped with the ability to perform simple calculations in their heads. Not only will this help them cope with the challenges of maths at secondary school, it will also stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives."

 

Read more via Department for Education

Herts for Learning winner in the Education Resources Awards 2019

Herts for Learning (HfL) has been announced as a winner in the Early Years category of the 2019 Education Resources Awards.

 

Following the judging of the Awards, HfL has been named winner in the Early Years Resource or Equipment category with Places to Play every Day. HfL’s  Making the Difference Toolkit was also a finalist in this category.

 

The awards highlight and reward the quality and diversity of educational products, resources, services and people as well as the best educational establishments and the most dedicated members of the teaching profession.

 

On hearing that Places to Play Every Day had won the award, Mireille MacRaild, Education Services Director – Early Years, at Herts for Learning said: “The guidance and audit tools have been produced taking into account the needs of practitioners and teachers, I hope this shows that we try to listen and respond to the needs of the Early Years workforce we support."

 

Read more about the awards via Herts for Learning

St Albans schools teach science lesson to more than 2,500 pupils

Sandringham and Verulam schools in St Albans and Ridgeway Academy in Welwyn Garden City took part in the ‘Big Lesson’ last month, attempting to break the world record for biggest lesson ever taught.

Chemistry teachers Barry Lee from Sandringham, Lee Knowles from Verulam and Beth Hercus from Ridgeway taught a lesson to Year 8 pupils from Sandringham School’s SandPit Theatre as part of British Science Week, which offers pupils opportunities in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths).

The lesson was broadcast live online, so other students from all three of the schools could participate from their own classrooms, with 2,500 pupils taking part in total.

 

The three teachers taught pupils about the Periodic Table to celebrate 150 years since it was devised from the work of Russian chemist Dimitri Mendeleev.

 

Read more via Herts Advertiser