Pupils take maths to town - from Swindon Adver..

MATHS came out of the classroom and on to the high street as a school brought the overlooked subject to the masses.
The object of Greendown Community School’s Maths Day held in the Parade in the town centre was to demonstrate the role it plays in business and everyday life and encourage people to improve their numeracy skills.
The school has been designated a specialist mathematics and computing college and Gill Sarjent, director of specialism at Greendown, came up with the idea to promote maths in the community.
With additional stalls provided by New College, the Water Research Council, construction company Beard and feeder school Tregoze Primary, the event outlined the role of maths in arenas including nature, the body, magic, sports, construction and art.
There was also a maths competition to win an iPod Touch.
“We’re showing that maths is everywhere and that people use maths all the time and to show that it’s going to be important,” said Mrs Sarjent.
“It’s needed for everything – we wouldn’t have technology without maths.
“Life would be very different. People admit to needing help with their literacy and will go for help with it, but sometimes people are perversely quite proud that they cannot do maths.
“People are afraid of maths, but we want to show it’s nothing to be afraid of, that we use it all the time and it can be fun.”
Greendown headteacher Clive Zimmerman said the school was trying to make parents and children aware of the importance of the subject, with a view to expanding this to provide family learning courses.
South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove had brought along MEP for the South West Glyn Ford to see the initiative. She said: “I’m so pleased that Greendown as a community school is coming out into the heart of the community in Swindon.
“We all need maths and what they’re doing is showing maths has a role in jobs and in the world.
“Schools should be doing more of this – the days of closing the gates at 3.30pm after the last bell has rung have gone forever.”
Mr Ford said: “We should not be intimidated by science and maths.”
Tregoze Primary pupils Akash Rajendrakumar and Shona Dwyer, both 11, ran a maths stall, which included fortune-telling to demonstrate probability, and said it was one of their favourite subjects.
“Maths is not scary,” said Shona. “It’s something that you use every day in any job.”

PS One lucky lady from Cirencester won our IPOD touch and its in the post to her!