| Birmingham schoolchildren have been learning the benefits and the fun of using maths in the workplace, as one part of Birmingham's Year of Numeracy. The new 'Maths At Work' project, a Core Skills Development Partnership initiative, has successfully completed a pilot scheme involving 14 companies linking with Birmingham primary schools. Maths at Work was set into operation by Business in the Community and the Birmingham Careers and Education Business Partnership and is so successful that it will now be extended across the West Midlands, and is drawing in funding from a major national company.
The project involves staff volunteers being released by the firms to work with teachers and groups of pupils to show the relevance of maths in the workplace and, how much fun it can be. This has met with an enthusiastic response from employers. Peter Lambert, Regional Director of Business in the Community, commented: "Employers consistently emphasise the importance of core skills for young people seeking employment. If we are going to help young people to attain the necessary level of skills in mathematics we need to develop confidence in maths and numeracy and relate it to the world beyond school." The children visited the workplaces where they used numbers and mathematics in business processes. Then the employees went into school on a number of occasions to work with the pupils. Pupils from Perry Beeches Junior School visited the HP Foods factory and were then able to work out the costing of goods at their local supermarket. Years 5 and 6 from Yarnfield Primary School worked with Lucas Aerospace. They were divided into teams and each given a different world wide destination to reach from London. Using flowcharts each team worked out flight distances and times; fuel capacity and refuelling points. |
Nine and ten year olds from Harborne Junior School enjoyed a day at a Warwickshire cricket match where they also had to use their mental maths skills working out batting and bowling performances. Staff from the Midland Bank in Erdington worked with Year 3 pupils from St Barnabus CE Primary School who opened bank accounts, learnt about budgeting, saving and using cash point machines.
The pupils have certainly enjoyed the opportunity to visit companies. One commented "it was much more fun and meaningful than usual maths, we learnt all sorts of new things." The businesses were equally enthusiastic. One employee said "I'm surprised at how enjoyable it all was". |
