Louth pupils ‘rock’ at their times tables!

LaceyField, the home of Eastfield Infants’ and Nursery and Lacey Gardens Junior Academy, have adopted an award-winning programme to encourage learning and boost maths confidence.

A special Times Tables Rock Stars day was held at the Louth academies to promote the new teaching tool, which uses online and paper formats in a carefully sequenced programme of daily times tables practice.

Executive principal Emma Beveridge said: “TT Rock Stars has been a huge hit with the children since it was introduced.

“It’s a high energy, competitive yet inspiring way of boosting maths confidence and helping children’s learning.

“Teachers can set tasks across the range of abilities so everyone can join in and no one feels left out.

“A pupil’s progress over time is measured and the team can see why it is deployed in hundreds of schools in the UK and around the world.

“Our maths leader, Abbie Cooper, had seen its success at Parklands Academy in Leeds and wanted to bring it here when she was appointed last summer.

“I’d like to thank her and fellow maths leader Daniel Reynolds who have overseen its success and put together the fantastic celebration day.”

Children and staff dressed up as rock stars and raised money for the NSPCC.

Revivalry, a three-piece band who attend Humberston Academy, ended the day with some rousing cover versions.

The two quickest players at TT Rock Stars from each year group were chosen at a special assembly to compete in a ‘Battle of the Bands’. 

The winners from each year group was presented with a trophy, rock hero guitar and rock hero wig.

A re-battle will take place every other week in maths assemblies.  

Winners in Year Three and Year Four were Isaac (8) and Lennox (8) respectively.

Isaac said: “It has been a good day and we’ve had fun while learning our times tables.”

Lennox’s favourite times tables were three and 10. “I find them both nice and easy and TT Rock Stars helps.”

Eleven-year-old Demi had been playing TT Rock Stars on an iPad earlier in the day. She said: “It definitely helps develop your times tables skills,” she said. “It’s been a really good day.”

Alfie, who like Demi is in Year Six, played lead guitar in a Battle of the Bands contest.

They covered Bob Dylan’s Mr Tambourine Man and Coldplay’s hit Yellow. “It’s been a good day doing maths,” he said.

Teagan (10) said the programme had made her quicker at her times tables.

“It has given me more confidence,” she said. “The band were really good.”

TT Rock Stars, which can be played via an app, concentrates on a different times table each week, with a recommended consolidation week for rehearsing the tables that have recently been practised every third week or so.

This format, say its UK creators, has boosted times tables recall speed for hundreds of thousands of pupils over the last eight years in more than 14,000 schools - both primary and secondary - worldwide.

The two Louth academies came together last summer under the Wellspring Academy Trust as Lacey Field, Louth, and can be found on Twitter and Facebook under that banner.

There are places across both, and prospective parents who would like to meet Emma and arrange a visit can call 01507 603376 / 602082.

Alternatively, send an email to [email protected]

• More details about the programme can be found at https://ttrockstars.com.