All of our maths workshops have been carefully designed to put into context and actively promote to both the Northern Ireland Curriculum and the Curriculum for Ireland. 

Tapping into pupils’ own creativity, our unashamedly fun workshops engage, motivate and, crucially, challenge the children and young people we work with, providing them with meaningful contexts in which to practise their skills. You can view our maths workshops for secondary schools in Ireland here. 

Our workshops have been specifically developed to support maths teaching and learning in the following ways:
  • To support the accurate use of mathematical knowledge and concepts.
  • To support the use of mathematics to solve problems and make decisions.
  • To support the development of methods and strategies, including mental mathematics.
  • To provide opportunities for pupils to explore ideas, make and test predictions and think creatively.
  • To provide opportunities for pupils to read and interpret, organise and present information in mathematical formats.
  • To support the use of mathematical understanding and language to ask and answer questions, talk about and discuss ideas and explain ways of working.

Our workshops are available as in-person sessions, live streamed workshops or themed Maths resource packages - all of which are listed below. You can also find out more about our downloadable resources over at www.ascreativesconnect.com/

"Pupils were very enthusiastic about the workshops – evident in the variety and quality of the questions they asked and their participation in the drama/games.  The use of drama to explore scientific concepts was commented on – with everyone enjoying the opening assembly where pupils acted out a particular characteristic of the planets in our solar system. The principal commented on the buzz about the school that day and that she would be interested in booking a similar day for next year as she felt the pupils were very motivated!" The Race into Space workshops, St Macartan’s Primary, Northern Ireland

"The children really enjoyed the workshop. They were fully engaged at all times and learned a lot from the experience. Jackson was an exemplary ambassador for As Creatives and we look forward to more workshops with you in the future." Scoil Mhuire, Dublin

 

Maths Week Ireland 2024

Why not celebrate Maths Week Ireland 2024 with a high energy, imaginative, fun, Whole-School Creative Maths day for all pupils to take part in? -  take a look at what's on offer below! 

Options for 2024

Maths Workshops in your School
Themed Teaching Maths Resource Packages
Live Streamed Maths Workshops

The Pirate’s Challenge (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

Piratical fun with numbers and shapes for up to 420 pupils in a single day!

Captain Morgan will be more than a little confused on arriving at school - because just a few hours beforehand this mathematical Pirate will have been on The Good Ship Mathematics, in the middle of the Caribbean! Swept to your school by a Time Tornado, the Captain will need the pupils’ help to get back to the right time and place. Are they up to the Challenge? And it’s a Challenge that will test their understanding of number, shape and direction to the max. 

Exploring: both additive and multiplicative reasoning, fractions, number patterns, mental and written calculation, elimination, 2D and 3D shapes, measurement, interpreting data, positional language, co-ordinates.

"The children thoroughly enjoyed the workshop.  All classes and teachers were very impressed by the workshop and presenter." Maths Lead, St Joseph's Primary School, Meigh

 

Whole-School Maths: The Riddle of the Sphinx (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

Making ‘measurement’ concrete in the pyramids  - accommodating up to 420 pupils in a day!

Our resident archaeologist, Dr Colorado Smith, has returned from Egypt with some exciting news - he's now collected all the clues required to solve the age old Riddle of the Sphinx - and open the Inner Sanctum in the Valley of the Kings. But as he can't do it by himself, he's on the lookout for schools to help him!

Featuring opening and closing assemblies, workshops and in-class challenges, The Riddle of the Sphinx takes pupils through three stages of mathematical thinking: concrete, pictorial and abstract. And while there's a definite focus on "measurement", the programme covers a whole range of other areas - and can accommodate the whole of a two-form entry school in a single day!

Exploring: measurement, additive and multiplicative reasoning, patterns and sequences, properties of 2D and 3D shapes, money, time, Roman numerals, percentages, problem solving - selected for each age group in line with Curriculum objectives.

 

The Benefactor (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

Money-based maths fun for up to 420 pupils in a single day!

Eccentric millionaire Benny Factor has amassed a fortune over the last few years – and it’s now time to give something back to a village that’s very close to his heart: Amberton. The trouble is, though, that with so many community groups within the village to choose from, he can’t quite decide how to carve his money up! And that’s where you come in, as your pupils help him draw up a series of budgets …

Featuring opening and closing assemblies, workshops and classroom-based challenges, The Benefactor provides children with a great opportunity to practise their understanding and skills with money in an engaging and entertaining context – and can cater for the whole of up to a two-form entry primary school in just a single day.

Exploring: values and denominations of British notes and coins, money notation, pricing and concepts of “change”, additive and multiplicative reasoning, patterns and sequences, properties of 2D shapes, fractions, percentages, problem solving - selected for each age group in line with Curriculum objectives.

 

Whole School Maths: Times’ Tables Trattoria

Through sheer head work, Trevi Times made his dream come true – by opening his own Italian restaurant, Times’ Tables Trattoria! But with his team of chefs wasting too much food (and spending too much money), that dream is on the verge of turning into a nightmare. If only there were some children who could use their knowledge and understanding of their times tables to help him keep his trattoria open …

Featuring opening and closing assemblies, workshops and in-class challenges, Times’ Tables Trattoria gives pupils opportunities to use their times tables in context – and see how they really count. The programmes has a clear focus on multiplication, division and commutative law – with problem solving to the fore, too! And Trevi is able to accommodate the whole of a two-form entry primary school in a single day.

Exploring: times tables, additive and multiplicative reasoning, fractions, percentages, money, problem solving - selected for each age group (P1 - P7/Senior Infants - 6th Class) in line with curriculum objectives

 

CSI: Maths

A series of challenging mysteries to engage your students and get them thinking logically 

CSI: Michaela Maths  (P4 - P7 / 3rd Class - 6th Class)
If it hadn’t been for the quick thinking of one of her teammates, Michaela Maths, one of Ireland’s most promising young athletes, would be dead – slain by an unseen hand! The police are baffled by the dastardly deed – and want the children’s help in solving it. Having been introduced to the crime, the suspects and their possible motives, pupils will work in teams on a carousel probing a range of mathematical skills. Taken together, these lead to the suspects being eliminated, one by one – until, if all the calculations are correct, the criminal is unmasked.

CSI: Tunes - Maths and the Murky World of Music (P4 - P7 / 3rd Class - 6th Class) 
Music industry mogul Harry Wilson has made more than a few enemies in his time - and now one of them has succeeded in making life difficult for him! So who was it who hacked into Harvey's precious database, deleting all his business contacts in one fell swoop? Means, motive and opportunity will all have to be factored in as pupils investigate this calculated act of sabotage. Was it Viola de Clerc, the classical violinist? DJ Grime, the garage specialist - or popster Betty B? Boy band Heaven Sent are in the mix as well, as is New Punk exponent Polly Ester - not forgetting Country and Western star Jake Carew!

This exciting and fast-paced workshop invites pupils to pit their wits against the criminal by using their data handling and number skills to reveal his - or her - identity.

CSI: Storyland (P1 - P3 / Junior Infants - 2nd Class)

With the help of the elves, the Shoemaker’s fortunes have been restored – and all is well in Storyland. Until, that is, his precious last is stolen! Which of his neighbours could have taken it? After using storytelling techniques to introduce pupils to the crime and the suspects, we'll share with them a range of clues left at the scene. They'll then use their sorting and numeracy skills to reveal the identity of the miscreant!

Was it Goldilocks, the Billy Goats Gruff, Little Miss Muffet, the Little Pigs or Red Riding Hood? It’s up to you to find out!

CSI: Bake-Off (P4 - P7 / 3rd Class - 6th Class)
All is not well in the world of the Bake Off – one of the judges, Saul Pinewood, has had food poisoning – and he knows it wasn’t an accident! He’s narrowed the field down to six suspects – and hopes that pupils can use their understanding of fractions, percentages and measurements to help him take the final step.

CSI: Ancient Greek Maths (P4 - P7 / 3rd Class - 6th Class)
Mount Olympus is in turmoil – because someone has stolen Zeus’s thunderbolt! We're on the trail of the culprit – but need your help to put all the pieces together as you collate and interpret the data. Mixing maths with mythology, this is definitely one of our more challenging workshops!

CSI: Saxon Maths (P4 - P7 / 3rd Class - 6th Class)
Alfred the Great has burnt the cakes … or has he? Test your understanding of number, shape and time as you help right the wrongs of history – and work out who framed him!

CSI: Olympics (P6 - P7 / 5th Class - 6th Class)
This exciting new addition to our CSI: Maths range has been designed to support you in capitalising on the growing interest in next year's Tokyo Olympics and engaging your pupils in some undercover maths. The team of Olympians from the tiny country of Berellia is in turmoil. They're all cyclists, you see - and someone has sabotaged each and every one of their bikes! So children will have to delve deep into the murky underworld of the velodrome as they survey the crime scene, examine the evidence and sift through the suspects - all in a bid to crack The Case of the Criminal Cyclists!

Exploring (according to age and programme): sorting, sequencing, elimination, additive reasoning, multiplicative reasoning, number patterns, fractions, percentages, 2D and 3D shapes, plans and elevations, measurement and units of measurement, collecting and interpreting data, positional language, time, problem-solving.

“Captain Morgan character really engaged the children and provided a fun element to the day.  The day was really well organised and tasks were differentiated well.  The children gained a love of learning, resilience in problem-solving, team work and an opportunity to ask questions. All of the staff were really positive about their workshop.  We had a great experience and would certainly be keen to book again!” Maths Co-ordinator, Harvington First School

 

The Race into Space (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

Our most challenging programme, taking maths to the stars - for up to 420 pupils in a single day!

The search is on for the island of Ireland's first astronaut – and Major Tom wants your pupils help in selecting the best person for the job. He’s found six well-suited candidates, all with different qualifications – but it’s up to you to decide which one will win The Race into Space!

After meeting the Major at an opening assembly, and being introduced to the would-be astronauts, each class will be issued with a Mission: to use their maths skills to rank the candidates on one of a number of qualities. Each Mission calls on pupils to demonstrate mathematical fluency, reasoning and problem-solving abilities – and is in line with Curriculum objectives for their year group. The Major will be on hand to visit each classroom with some vital, additional information – and the programme ends with a second assembly in which each class reports back its findings and helps whittle the field down to just one: Ireland's first astronaut.

This exciting and engaging workshop provides an ideal platform for one or two-form entry schools to enjoy a shared maths experience – and learn something about the science of space travel too!

Exploring: a range of skills in data handling and/or numerical operations and/or understanding shape – selected for each year group in line with Curriculum objectives.

"I have had some excellent feedback from staff and pupils alike "It's like cluedo but with Maths. The students thoroughly enjoyed the workshops. They were all engaged and loved how Mathematical skills were transferred into real life contexts. They worked well in teams and enjoyed problem solving.The students gained strategies to problem solve and healthy competition. They were encouraged to work in teams which our children often struggle with."  Maths Mastery Coordinator, Place Farm Primary Academy

 

The Captain’s Conundrum - (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

A pirate-themed whole school maths challenge 

Captain Morgan, of the Good Ship Mathematics, has a conundrum … there’s treasure to be found on Cloud Island, there's a map – and a set of clues. But they’re clues that no-one on The Good Ship Mathematics can make head nor tail of. The Captain will meet all the children at an assembly (or, if space doesn’t allow, two consecutive gatherings) and challenge them to conquer the conundrum.
 
During the course of the day, the Captain will give each year group an age-appropriate set of clues to unearth a particular piece of treasure – and warm them up with one of his piratical maths drama games. Then everyone reconvenes in a meeting (or two meetings) at the end of the day to share their findings - and advise the Captain on what to buy for his expedition. Content is in line with the Curriculum requirements and will include different age-appropriate activities for each year group.

Exploring (according to age): both additive and multiplicative reasoning, fractions, number patterns, mental and written calculation, elimination, 2D and 3D shapes, measurement, interpreting data, positional language, co-ordinates.

 

Murderous Maths (P2 - P7 / 1st Class - 6th Class)

Interactive problem solving for up to 180 pupils (with follow-up workshops for up to 90)

It's exactly 100 years to the day since the grisly demise of Puffing Billy – and this unique workshop allows up to 180 children from Years 1 to 6 attempt to crack the case at the same time. After everyone’s been introduced to the crime scene, the victim and the suspects (and been armed with Evidence Booklets), children will take part in a series of age-differentiated challenges - revolving around such clues as omnibus tickets, diaries and timepieces. As pupils practise their maths skills, the suspects will be whittled down one by one – until only the criminal remains.

But there’s still more to do – because there's yet another Maths Mystery to be unraveled. A job that will be undertaken in up to three follow-up workshops, each for up to 30 pupils.

Exploring (according to age): measurements, number investigations, additive and multiplicative reasoning, time, positional language, properties of 2D and 3D shapes, problem-solving, angles, trajectories.

 

Outdoor Maths (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

Using the outdoors to bring home the relevance of numeracy to children's everyday lives

Outdoor spaces provide wonderful opportunities to explore how numbers and shapes create both the built and natural worlds. So our engaging (and very active!) outdoor maths workshops, which feature a range of tried and tested al fresco activities, bring home the relevance of numeracy to our everyday lives – and provide lots of scope for problem-solving too!

We have developed age-appropriate activities for all year groups from P1 to P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class, including our specially designed portable Outdoor Maths Trail - allowing us to offer open air workshops over a whole range of timescales.

Exploring: maths-in-context, maths language, number investigations, additive and multiplicative reasoning, number sequences and patterns, shape investigations, properties of 2D and 3D shapes, positional language, measurements, data collection, presentation and interpretation.

 

Family Maths

We all know how much family support benefits children's learning. So our Family Maths workshops have been specifically developed to gain and cement that support by offering a fun and friendly environment in which parents/carers work alongside their children on activities that both explore the value of maths and unpick fluency, reasoning and problem-solving. And, by tackling our Household Maths Trail, they'll discover just how easy it is to use any part of the home as a stimulus for quick and impromptu maths challenges a fantastic way of Making Maths Count!.

Family Maths workshops are available in a range of formats - but if you book one at the end of a day of workshops with pupils, we'll be happy to offer you a healthy discount!

 

Maths Twilight (add-on workshops for staff)

To fully capitalise on the new approaches you'll have seen in action, why not end your day with a Creative Maths Twilight for staff? Our CPD programmes are highly experiential and outcomes-driven, so you'll have a chance to unpick what you've witnessed, try out some more new methodologies and take part in active, collaborative planning. And, by booking this at the end of a day of our workshops with pupils, you'll get it all for a fraction of the usual price!

Live Streamed Maths Workshops and Assemblies 

The following workshops can be delivered "live" in your classroom via Zoom (or any digital platform your school is using) – and you can choose from:

The Pirate’s Challenge: piratical problem solving  with Captain Morgan!  (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

The Race into Space: a high octane challenge mixing maths with space science! (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

The Riddle of the Sphinx: can you measure up to Dr Colorado Smith’s measurement challenges? (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

The Benefactor: using the Maths of Money to bring about change ... (P1 - P7 / Senior Infants - 6th Class)

CSI: Storyland: mixing storytelling with maths (P1 – P3 / Junior Infants - 2nd Class)

CSI: Michaela Maths: using a range of mathematical skills to solve a dastardly crime (P4 – 7 / 3rd Class - 6th Class)

CSI: Bake Off: using the fuel of fractions (and, for older pupils, percentages) to clear up some trouble in the kitchen (P4 – 7 / 3rd Class - 6th Class)

 

Download our Maths Teaching Resources and deliver your own Creative Maths Day! 

 

"We have had a brilliant week exploring Ancient Egypt. We solved brilliant literacy and numeracy challenge, Riddle of the Sphinx! Also excavated treasure and spelling words, built tombs, role-played Pharaohs and so much more!" Woodmuir Primary

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