Johnny Ball supports Number Day at High March

06.02.2024

As part of NSPCC Number Day on Friday, a special visitor to High March wowed students and staff alike. Johnny Ball, star of 1980s mathematics show, Think of a Number, held the girls spellbound with his trademark enthusiasm and jokes. There was a fascinating factual side to his assembly, as he described the ways in which we can use mathematics to help explore and understand the world. Johnny explained the work of mathematicians across cultures and centuries, and showed how geometry and shape underpin the way in which we can calculate with number. The girls particularly enjoyed helping with his demonstrations.

This continued outside, in the school forecourt, where the girls gathered to watch how shadow and angles allowed the Ancient Egyptians to measure the height of tall buildings.

Johnny spent the rest of the morning interacting with the girls as they enjoyed the variety of Number Day activities organised by staff. He was impressed by how engaged our students are with mathematics, and encouraged them to work really hard to assimilate all the great ideas they come across (a message all at High March can endorse!).