Family Learning, Parents Evenings and Staff Insets
You may wish to have a programme for parents or whole families after your Puzzle Challenge Day or later in the evening. There is also an Inset programme available for staff. Please see the back page for more details.
Costs
You will need to contact us for a quote. Although the basic cost of a Puzzle Challenge Day is the same throughout the UK, there may be supplements and a travel fee to add to the cost. We are based in Hertfordshire. If you are a significant distance away from us then it may be necessary to travel to your school the evening before the Puzzle Challenge Day, and this will require an overnight stay somewhere. If your school has a limited number of students, you could reduce costs by sharing your puzzle day with another local school. Other schools may wish to request a ‘voluntary contribution’ from parents.
Cluster and 'Freeder School Days
Many LEA’s have organised Puzzle Challenge Days to bring together students from a number of schools and these have all been extremely successful. These are often focussed towards gifted and talented initiatives or maths programmes. Staff from visiting schools will usually have an opportunity to look at the resources while students take part in a programme.
Some secondary schools will also run a Puzzle Challenge Day to invite students from their feeder primary schools to take part in activities with their current Year 7, giving potential students a positive experience in what may well be their new school.
See also page 6 for examples of what other schools/LEAs have done.
How to organise your Puzzle Challenge Day
Once you have decided to host a Puzzle Challenge Day, please check availability with us as soon as possible.
Then follow the following steps
Who? Up to three programmes during a school day (or four slightly shorter ones for KS1 and KS2), with up to 60 students in each programme (it is usually not a problem if this number needs to be slightly higher). Each student takes part in one session only.
When? We will work around your timetable so that we do not disrupt lunchtime and breaktime if at all possible. Programmes usually last for 90 minutes, but can be a little shorter if necessary. We suggest one programme before morning break, one after and the third after lunch.
Where? Ideally a hall, a gymnasium or a large classroom. Tables and chairs will be most comfortable, but the students can sit on mats or on the floor.
Teams Five or six students in each team will be best. You may wish to pre-arrange the teams, otherwise students can be divided up at the start of the programme into a maximum of ten teams.
Supervision You will need to ensure that at least two members of your staff join us in the programme, but in most cases they will be able to take part in the programme themselves!
SEN Students with Special Needs will usually benefit greatly from the programme. Please make us aware of any information that will help these students during the programme.
THE PUZZLE SHOP As part of the Puzzle Challenge Day, we open a puzzle shop for staff, visitors and parents. We can open during lunchtime and after school and all we will need is tables and a location!
Visitors This may be a great opportunity for your school to invite guests from other
schools or the LEA. We will be happy to give a talk and guide them
through the programme and resources.