Thousands of Primary and Secondary schools keep rebooking. This is why!
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The HPC experience offers our year 7s a brilliant set of challenges that require them to work and bond together in their new from groupings through practical engagement, and they reinforce - in all they say and do - our growth mindset values, encouraging experimentation and 'failure' as crucial tools in ruling out options and finding solutions, and exemplifying how tough working through a challenge can be, whilst demonstrating the enormous satisfaction when you crack it. More than anything though, the sessions are fun: we don't often have students asking to stay behind at break to carry on with their lessons, but we have had them ask if they can stay in and take on another challenge!
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Pippa Marriott, Head of Lower School
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The students encounter a variety of fun, but challenging 3D hands-on puzzle tasks, which they have to complete in teams. Most challenges last for no more than a few minutes, but require each team to work together and carefully develop strategies in order to find a solution. The temptation to give up might appear from time to time, but the programme teaches the students how to persevere, put their own skills to better use as part of a team and overcome difficulties by approaching problems from different perspectives. With the advent of the new GCSE curriculum, where a stronger emphasis on problem solving is being placed, we feel this day is an ideal springboard and foundation in Key Stage 3. In addition, our pupils have fun while they learn!
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Tracie Walker, Teacher of Mathematics
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We held a puzzle challenge day for some of our senior students and invited students from one of our mainstream partner schools. It was inspiring to see both sets of youngsters interacting and working towards a goal in a fun environment. Students were also able to show progress in key areas of using and applying and space, shape and measure, including discussing patterns and problem solving. The puzzle activities are fantastic for developing our students’ spatial awareness, co-ordination, social and fine motor skills and we have now incorporated many puzzles into our daily lessons. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these events to other special schools.
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Phil Seddon, Maths Leader
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The puzzles from Smart Thinkers were extremely engaging and provided a tough challenge for our boys. I really liked how persistence was referred to and rewarded, not just the speed of success. The presenter was friendly and clear and was able to keep up the momentum of the session. All of the resources looked in very good condition and fit for purpose and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Smart Thinkers to any school.
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Teacher, Arnold House school
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Mind Missions day at the Canterbury Primary school was an entertaining and fun experience from reception to year 6! The teachers had time to watch, as well as work with small groups. It highlighted children's strengths in leadership as well as problem solving. Observing how they tackled each new challenge was interesting and has resulted in KS2 incorporating more problem solving into their classwork. Pupils who don't always shine at numeracy did surprisingly well in logical thinking and gave them a confidence boost. A KS1 pupil said "We tried and tried to make it balance. It worked best when we all took turns, then it fell off!
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Dawn Wellard , The Canterbury Primary School
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