2016 Maths Grant Awards
The Jo Walters Trust, in collaboration with the Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM), was absolutely thrilled to receive such a great response to our call for applications for grants for up to £1,000 to help with teaching maths. We received 33 applications of a very high standard across a huge range of areas, ages and styles of teaching. Whittling down the list was very hard, but with the kind help of the ATM we managed to settle on the 6 projects we felt were most in line with our aims. Initially we had only offered to fund 3 grants, but as the applicants had costed their applications carefully and had only asked for what they needed we were delighted that by boosting the fund a tiny amount we were able to make 6 grants in the end. We wish the recipients lots of luck in implementing the projects, and look forward to sharing the results of how they have fared in due course.
- Gateway Academy in Blackpool, Practical Maths through Cooking - £750: Linda Balshaw, from the Gateway Academy in Blackpool, is going to start an after-school enrichment program to counter her pupils’ belief that maths has no use in the real world. With measuring equipment, cooking, and planning pricing for shopping trips, they’ll soon discover that not all mathematicians are teachers! This first year it will be Year 2 and Year 3 students who benefit, and many of the sessions will take place outside, which will be a positive change as many live in rented accommodation with limited outside space.
- Walthamstow School for Girls, Maths Cafe - £500: Walthamstow School for Girls is going to fulfil a long-held dream of starting a Maths-Cafe each half term, led by Sally Robinson. Whilst eating Algebrownies and Mathemallows, the whole school will appreciate the Mathematical decor, puzzles and competitions, raising the profile of maths in the school. The organising team will use maths in planning and running the cafe as a business, in the hope that the cafe will eventually self-fund and even generate a profit for charity.
- Vinney Green Secure Unit, Physical Velcro Aids - £750: teaches young people on remand or sentenced for an offence, who often do not respond well to traditional methods. They are going to implement a physically interactive teaching system to engage their students better. Using velcro, facts, questions, diagrams and more will be attached to the walls, enabling displays to change regularly and even within a lesson, as students choose their own questions and make links in a physical way.
- Crooksbarn Primary School, Maths Library - £600: Gavin Brownless from Crooksbarn Primary School in Norton is going to buy resources for a Maths library. This will allow all year 1s and year 2s to take Maths games home for a week at a time and to engage their families in the mathematical learning. Families already are encouraged to read together; now they will be able to develop their numeracy, problem solving and Mathematical knowledge together whilst having fun.
- East Midlands ATM, Royal Institution masterclass for KS3 at National Space Centre - £500: Robert Smith, from the East Midlands ATM, is going to use funding to further support the Royal Institution lectures, to enrich KS3 students learning, as well as running a session for PGCE students and supporting a session for experienced teachers at the ATM Maths conference.
- Wolverhampton Home Education Group, Building Giant Mandalas - £220: Jennifer Williams from Wolverhampton Home Education Group is going to enthuse local families on World Maths Day, by enabling them to build giant mandalas as a Mathematical Art installation at a local community centre. This should encourage them to approach their mathematical studies in a more creative way and we look forward to seeing some exciting pictures of the creations in due course.