Early Intellectual Development

In our Maths and Logic classes, the goal is to help children develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills. To engage our pupils, games and mathematical puzzles play a vital role in our teaching as children find them enjoyable and stimulating while they are conducive to a natural learning process.

With an emphasis on the age-appropriate complexity of the tasks, we focus on developing logical thinking. Children have an opportunity to apply and develop their knowledge of arithmetic and geometry. This includes combinatorial tasks of different types where it is necessary to find all the possible solutions.

We work with geometrical tasks for the transformation of figures, arithmetical problems of finding sequences and graphical tasks for cutting figures into cells. Together with the problems of finding symmetry and axes of symmetry they form spatial representations and are deservedly popular with children. We also look at modern sections of mathematics, including an introduction to topology and interactive problems of probability theory. We introduce the concepts of probable, unlikely, impossible, or certain events.

We offer these classes from ages 4 to 8 (Reception to Year 3) to build on children’s early interest in numbers and logic. Our aim is to help children towards thinking like engineers and mathematicians: solving problems, using logic, analysing processes and creating rather than just consuming technology.

Games and game playing are essential to early intellectual development and we use them to great effect with this age group to stimulate interest in problem solving. The primary function of any game is to provide a natural learning process, help develop analysis and encourage the memorizing of new information. Games also help the development of logical processes and spatial reasoning, while solving puzzles with their peers is an enjoyable way for the younger child to grow into a fuller understanding of maths.

During lessons we shift rapidly between various activities, looking at the same mathematical concepts but in different ways so as to maintain the child’s cognitive interest. We pay careful attention to different abilities across the age range and manage these along the way.