Year 5 G&T in Maths Residential! - News - North Oxfordshire SSP

Year 5 G&T in Maths Residential!

Horley Residential for Year 5 Gifted and Talented Mathematicians

On 9th July 2010 six children from Year 5 went to Horley for an overnight residential for gifted and talented mathematicians. The aim of the camp was to help develop children’s problem solving skills in an outdoor learning environment. In addition to this, the children would also develop communication, teamwork and logic skills.

Shortly after arriving at Horley the children were required to put up their own tents following a set of instructions. They found this quite hard to begin with, then  once the six had made one tent with adult intervention, they were able to put up the second tent as a team. 

After a walk around the site, the children completed two activities zip wire and climbing. Both activities used teamwork, communication and problem solving skills. As particularly in climbing the children had to negotiate which leg holds to use to get them to the top.

After a BBQ tea the children entered the straw mine. This was straw bales sequenced with a series of exits and entrances. The children went in first with torches and then went without, so they had to use communication and memory skills to work out how to get out!

The next activity requires the children to use their calculation and team work skills. The primary teachers were asked to hide in the woods with a series of mathematical calculations which when answered correctly would give children a letter to make a word. As a team the children had to find the teachers, answer the calculation, work out the letter and navigate themselves to the finishing point by the campfire.  Our school won this challenge after a tense tie break, which required the two winning schools to select a person to answer a times table question. Our school chose Georgia and she answered the question 8x7 in seconds. The children won a water bottle each.

A camp fire was the final activity of the day, and the children enjoyed the experience of toasting and eating marshmellows!

After a late night, the children rose early to have breakfast and put away the tents, before returning home.

It was a really enjoyable and educational residential and the children from the four family schools  Dashwood, St Mary’s and The Grange were well behaved and took on any challenge given to them in a mature and sensible manner. We are planning to make this camp an annual event.

Sarah Moon

PLT/ Lower Junior Co - ordinator

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