Outreach

The work carried out for the Student Outreach and Recruitment team is very varied and interesting. We support University Experience Days for Years 7-13 students offering a wide range of practical activities. These include:

• Packaging workshops,
• Discrete mathematics workshops,
• Ratio and proportion workshops,
• Coding workshops.

We also contribute to events such as the National Science and Engineering Week.

In addition we are actively involved in training programs for Student Outreach and Recruitment staff and undergraduate students involving techniques regarding working effectively with young people.

For the past three years the Mathematics Education Centre has supported Year 12 students working on Nuffield Programmes during the summer holidays. The projects successfully carried out are:

• Using Lego Mindstorm Robots to enthuse young people about mathematics,
• Designing a Mathematics Trail at Snibston Discovery Park, Coalville for KS4 students,
• Designing workshops around the historical development of bridges and the mathematics involved in this.

Another role that we carry out is to advise staff within the University about curriculum details relating to schools. This is done on an informal basis and has been useful for staff. There is also representation on the HE expert advisory committee involved in restructuring the A level Mathematics syllabus to assist students coming to University to be better prepared mathematically.

These activities have proved to be very enjoyable, it is hoped that they support the personal development of young people and also promote the importance of Mathematics.