“Can't do Maths” remains a familiar cry from many individuals, despite a series of Government initiatives to address the issue. The University of Liverpool Maths Outreach team have a variety of workshops, suitable for age groups from Year 1 upwards, including the Liverpool Mathematical Society’s popular FunMaths Roadshow, which aims to show pupils that Maths can be fun.

“Our year 7 students loved the Roadshow. They want to know when you are coming again!” Teacher, St.Joseph’s College

“Years 1 to 6 found the session very enjoyable, achievable and challenging in parts.” Primary Teacher

The Maths Outreach team organise and deliver visits to primary and secondary schools, and also FE colleges, both in the North West and throughout mainland UK. We can work with pupils from many different backgrounds, including looked-after children, Aimhigher cohorts, and Gifted and Talented. A typical day consists of four sessions, usually about an hour each in length, but tailored to fit in with the school’s timetable constraints.

The FunMaths Roadshow is a pupil-centred resource which can be set up in a school hall on tables that pupils can walk between and each activity has an A3 baseboard and pieces to manipulate. Pupils work in pairs or threes so they can discuss their work and self-select any of the activities, in any order. The activities are grouped in Boxes of 25, of which two Boxes are used per session, and each Box covers a range of mathematical topics. There is a wide spread of difficulty within each Box, making the Roadshow suitable for all abilities. 60 – 80 pupils would normally be involved per session.

The Roadshow provides opportunities to strengthen links between schools and the community, with older pupils brought in as additional staff and parents and governors encouraged to come in to have a go at the activities alongside pupils. The Roadshow also provides an opportunity for gifted and talented KS2 pupils to attend secondary schools to work alongside KS3 pupils.

BIG Maths is a transition workshop using giant mathematical resources, aimed at facilitating the introduction of Y5 and Y6 pupils from feeder primaries to their destination secondary school. However, the workshop is also suitable for Y7. Y9 pupils from the secondary school act as peer mentors for the event, which is an empowering experience for them, and allows the visiting pupils an opportunity to meet with them in an informal way. 

Our GCSE Revision sessions are available for all specifications (linear and modular) and exam boards, and we offer them for C/D borderline students and A*/A students. We would normally run two sessions over the course of a school day, and each session contains a mixture of presentations and more interactive tasks. It is possible to have both sessions targeted at the same level or one of each.

 Another popular workshop is the Dragon Quiz, which is a teambased relay for up to 60 pupils per session, with the aim of completing as many questions as possible in the time allowed. The Dragon Quiz is ideal for revision purposes, but can also be completed just for fun. There is a role for older pupils or staff to act as the ‘Dragon Masters’, marking participants’ answers.

For groups of 30 - 40 pupils, we have workshops available for most ages and abilities, from ‘Maths in Art’ to ‘Pythagoras’, and from ‘Code Breaking’ to ‘Mechanics’. Workshops can also be designed to cover a requested topic.

Key Information

• Enhanced CRB checked presenters
• Two of the team prepare and deliver each session
• All the equipment is brought with us
• Set up quickly – and packed away quickly