Seventh Grange Maths Camp gets young people ready for exams
Grange Academy held their seventh Maths Camp recently at Gartmore House, near Aberfoyle, where the young people enjoyed a three day revision boot camp.
Grange Maths Camp is incredibly popular with their young people. Its initial aim back in 2015 was to improve attainment in Higher and Advanced Higher Maths and encourage interest in Advanced Higher. This has proved successful with the school seeing an approximate 8-9% improvement between prelim and final results for those who attend, and there has been an increase in the number of young people taking Advanced Higher, increasing from just six in 2015 to a peak of 45 young people in 2022.
Eleven members of staff attended the weekend and ensured it was a success by preparing teaching materials, providing tutorials and ensuring that the young people also had time to enjoy their weekend away.
Chris Smith, Maths geek from Grange Academy said: “Grange Academy Maths Camp - it's the stuff of legend. Since 2015 (with an obvious break during the pandemic), hundreds of S5/6 Maths students have attended Maths Camp.
“As the SQA exams begin to loom studying is intense with about 13 hours of revision crammed in. That's obviously the key selling point of Maths Camp - the impact on attainment over many years is clear. But Maths Camp offers so much more. It's an adventure for those who've never stayed away without their folks before. It's an opportunity for students and staff to get to know each other over great food, wacky games coordinated by games-master Mrs Strange, energy-sapping inflatables and a lively ceilidh with my band, Jiggered.
“It's also a really great way to nurture positivity about Mathematics.”
Councillor Elaine Cowan, Spokesperson for Education and, Children and Young People said: “A big thank you to the team from Grange Academy who organised and attended Maths Camp 2024.
“The tutorial sessions covered National 5 Maths, National 5 Applications, Higher Maths and Advanced Higher Maths with some students working through topic specific material, others through mixed exercises, some were given short teaching sessions on the key principles of certain concepts, while other just worked away in groups or individually.
“For Maths Camp and revision to be considered ‘fun’ and a ‘must-attend event’ is testament to the Maths Department at Grange Academy. Well done everyone and the very best of luck to our young people in their upcoming exams.”