MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND

IMA Maths Careers are working with the Citi Money Gallery at the British Museum and asking you to design a currency for Earth as part of 2013: Mathematics of Planet Earth. You must produce an A4 poster to pitch your idea for a single global currency to the 'Bank of planet Earth'. Prizes will be awarded to the best design in each age category!

The closing date for entries to the competition is midnight on 15th January, 2014. Entries received after that date will not be accepted, displayed or judged.

Click here for more details.

TO GIFT OR NOT TO GIFT...

...that is the question! After grilling the teachers at senior, junior and nursery schools, in both the private and state sectors, to find out what they really covet at Christmas time, The Good Schools Guide have composed a 'top ten gifts for teachers'. From Gift cards to potted plants, The Good Schools Guide have concluded that home-made cards showing a child's true appreciation will be far more treasured by their teacher than a 'World's Greatest Teacher' mug!

Top Ten Gifts For Teachers

1. Anything home-made
2. Booze
3. A potted plant
4. Gift tokens
5. Christmas tree decorations
6. Chocolates
7. Organise a collection
8. Something ethnic
9. Compose a poem or a song
10. Note Cards

SUMMER SCHOOL 2014 IN THE US!

8 A's at GCSE and in year 12? First in your family to go to Uni? Sponsored one week summer school in US available.

The Sutton Trust US programme provides bright, state school students a taste of life at an American university. The programme is centred on a one week summer school in the US (based at either MIT, Yale University or Harvard, our new host campus) with introductory events and application support in the UK before and after.

Applications for the 2014 Programme are now open!

Click here for details.

MERRY #CHRISTMAS FROM SATRO!

ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH MATHS

KS3 students at Reigate School tested their maths skills when they participated in a Jaguar Cars 'Maths in Motion' challenge. Using bespoke software to calibrate a virtual racing car, the teams had to calculate measurements of distance, angles and speed potential of a race track in order to program their racing car for optimum performance. Teamwork played a vital part in calculating the right formula for success. The challenge reached its climax with the teams competing in a Grand Prix style race. Students and teachers agreed that the workshop was an exciting and practical way in which to consolidate maths skills linked to the real world.

"It shows that maths isn't all sums and it can be helpful in real life situations. It also shows it's really important," commented a student.

Thanks to Mr Peter Lambell, former SCC Councillor, who sponsored this event.

Lingfield Numeracy Day

45 students from Blenheim High, Reigate and Oxted Schools were at Lingfield seeing how maths is used in the real world. In this case, a racecourse on raceday. Ex-jockey Olly McPhail showed them the weighing room, parade ring and jumps. And entertained them with stories from when he raced.

SCIENCE ALL WRAPPED UP

150 Year 3 pupils at Ravenscote Junior School in Frimley enjoyed an investigation science workshop discovering the properties of materials. As an introduction to a Packaging Challenge, the children had to identify the different properties of materials and think about how those materials are used in everyday life. They looked at various types of product packaging and then made their own box to wrap up a meringue nest choosing from a selection of protective materials; to test their choice of packaging, the boxes were sent through a simulated postal system. The children then re-opened their box to discover if their packaging had been successful - of the 150 meringues, there was a 95% unbroken success rate.

One teacher commented, “A great session! Very engaging, the children loved it and it put learning into a real life context.”

"I feel more confident and understanding about science and I would like to be a scientist when I am older," said a pupil, and another remarked, "It has made me feel confident and if I become a postman I will make sure not to smash the packaging."

This event was sponsored by Surrey County Councillor Mr David Ivison. SATRO and the school are very grateful for his support.