Could you please describe your project?

Mighty Maths is a new application for ipad and iphone which I have designed to help children improve their recall of mental maths facts. Animal friends guide the children through 4 game areas which allow them to practice the number bonds to 10, 20 and 100; addition and subtraction facts; all the times tables and all their corresponding division facts. The games include time limits of 1 or 2 minutes and the children then race to complete as many questions as they can in the given time. The children’s scores are recorded in a table so when they return to the game they can try to beat their previous score. It is also possible to compete against friends in a one minute challenge by logging onto the Apple game centre.

How did the idea occur to you?

I have had an ipad for a couple of years now and have seen how much children enjoy using it so I decided that I wanted to create a numeracy application that would be both fun and educational and that would compliment the numeracy curriculum at Caxton College. As most year groups complete weekly mental maths tests and speed tests this seemed like the perfect area to focus on so, together with Alejandro Pozo Jiménez, my fiancé, we designed and created a bright, colourful and stimulating game to help children practise for these.

 Do you have any related projects planned for the future?

We are just about to begin Mighty Maths 2 which will use the same structure as Mighty Maths to allow children to practise four further numeracy areas and we are also planning to create Mighty Maths 3. Within these we intend to include addition and subtraction of 10s and 100s, partitioning, rounding, doubling and halving. We are also thinking about creating Mighty Maths Measure which will allow children to practise converting one unit of measure to another. Hopefully, during the next year, all of these applications will be available for the iPad and iPhone so keep an eye out!!

What are the benefits for children? What are the differences with traditional teaching methods?

Children always learn best if they enjoy what they are doing and Mighty Maths aims to promote learning in a fun way. The application has been used with children from Years 1 to 6 and I have observed that, as well as enjoying playing the games, they are eager to improve. By having a table of results, it is easy for the children to check their score from the previous time they played and to then try to beat it. In this way, the children can take control of their own learning and challenge themselves to do better.

It is selling all over the world. Had you expected such success?

I have been amazed at the variety of countries in which we have sold Mighty Maths so far. It has already sold in more than 25 countries including much of Europe, Brazil, Russia, Japan, South Africa and New Zealand.

What is your opinion regarding new technologies as applied to education?

Technology is such an important part of life today so it is essential that children are given opportunities to use it as part of their education to ensure that they are prepared for the future. At the same time, it is essential that we, as parents and teachers, look for quality programs and applications which are both fun and educational to help the children to get the most out of the technology on offer to them

What do you think about the school’s efforts to make sure the students are up to date with new technologies?

Caxton College always embraces new technologies and the school is well equipped to develop the confidence of children of all ages with the latest developments in technology. In Primary alone, all the classrooms have their own computer and interactive whiteboard which are used to bring lessons to life and support our teaching. We also have weekly ICT lessons in the ICT room where all children can work independently on a computer to develop their own skills. Now Caxton College has taken the next step forward by opening the Technolab, which, as well as containing more computers also has 14 iPads and a smart table so the children can become proficient with the latest applications, including, of course, Mighty Maths!

Other information

At fun day, we will be holding a Mighty Maths competition. There will be a different game for each year group, from 1 to 6, to play and a prize for the best score from each year group so come and have a go!!

The European Youth Parliament is currently one of the largest European platforms for political debate, intercultural encounters, political educational work and the exchange of ideas among young people in Europe with 20,000 students participating in regional, national and international events each year.

In this year’s Spanish National session participants first divided into different committees and took part in a variety of teambuilding exercises which helped break the ice and forge close bonds between students. The young delegates then started to work on a current European political issue and tried to compose a joint resolution for future action. Felipe and Jaime were working in committees aiming to find a suitable European response to the challenges posed by the situations in Syria and Iran whilst David was debating what measures the EU should adopt to defend the rights of national minorities within Europe. Finally, the resolutions were debated in a parliamentary General Assembly following the model of the European Parliament.
The three Caxton students will now participate in an international session of the European Youth Parliament where they will meet and work with young people from across Europe. Felipe, Jaime and David can look forward to attending an event in Amsterdam later this year or Munich in Spring 2013.

Quotes from 3 participants and Mr McElwaine:


Jaime Giner
“It is much more than just a competitive event. There is a real emphasis placed on getting to know people from different parts of Spain. I had a lot of fun.It has given me much more confidence about speaking in public. I’ve also become much more interested in politics and issues that are affecting Europe today.”

Felipe de Murga
“I wanted to take part because I was interested in politics and debating. I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet lots of new people with shared interests but sometimes different views. Through the competition I have learnt more about a number of political issues, for example the situation in Syria. Taking part has given me a great appreciation of the difficulties that politicians and diplomats face when trying to solve these problems.”

David Soler
“Participating in the event, you must learn to listen to and respect other people’s opinions and then try to find a common position. I met some really interesting people in just four days. I’m really excited about the opportunity I am going to have to meet people from all across Europe in the International Sessions which last 9 days!”

Barry McElwaine
“All three students performed fabulously well. The EYP provides a wonderful opportunity for students to develop a range of key skills, from diplomacy and consensus building, to public speaking and leadership. Felipe, Jaime and David grew in confidence as the session went on and demonstrated lots of the skills and attributes the judges were looking for. They will be excellent ambassadors for Caxton, Valencia and Spain at the international sessions!”

Tener una cierta ansiedad antes de los exámenes es normal en todos los alumnos. Esos nervios le ayudarán a reaccionar y le estimularán positivamente.
Si percibe que su hijo tiene una ansiedad fuerte,  podría indicar que tiene  miedo al fracaso por no haberse preparado bien los exámenes. La solución: ayudarle a planificar correctamente su tiempo y seguir unos horarios de trabajo realistas.


Consejos para ayudar a su hij@ a reducir los nervios y la ansiedad:
. No permitirle que haga un esfuerzo excesivo el día anterior al examen. Menos aún la noche anterior a costa de horas de sueño.
. Dormir bien la noche antes. Una ducha caliente y una infusión serán suficientes para que concilie el sueño correctamente.
. Animar a su hijo a hacer ejercicio físico el día antes del examen: le ayudará a ir relajado al examen.
. Un buen desayuno es básico: nunca deben ir con el estómago vacío al examen, aconsejable tomar fruta o zumos.
. No tomar alimentos con alto contenido en azúcar.
. Animarle a practicar técnicas de respiración y técnicas de relajación. Le ayudarán a concentrarse durante el estudio y dormir.

Cristina Pérez

La rabieta es la expresión inmadura del enfado. Forman un comportamiento habitual en niños desde el año y medio hasta los tres años. Estas simples pautas pueden ayudarle a controlar la situación:

. Permanezca calmado.
. Ponga a su hijo en un sitio tranquilo
. Sostenga o abrace a su hijo si intuye que puede correr algún peligro físico
. Ignore a su hijo hasta que se le pase la rabieta
. NO intente razonar con el niño mientras dure la rabieta
. Sea coherente y actúe de igual modo en todos los contextos.
. Cuando ésta termine dirijase como si nada hubiera pasado y dígale lo que le gusta relacionarse con él cuando está tranquilo y no llora.

Silvia Sanchis