On Friday, 7th February, the entire Year 7 cohort came together for the annual Number Day activities, organised by Miss Theobald from the Maths department.
Over the past 15 years of Northgate’s participation in Number Day, Year 7 students have raised over £3,300 to support the vital work of the NSPCC and Childline. This year was no exception, with students enthusiastically engaging in a variety of activities throughout the day.
During Period 4, half of the year group gathered in the main hall to kick off their session with number aerobics. Some volunteers took the lead in demonstrating the moves, setting the tone for an energetic and enthusiastic start.
The main event was a quiz, where students competed both for House Team points and individual prizes within their teaching groups. The competition was fierce, with some challenging questions testing their mathematical skills. However, the students’ determination shone through.
In the final part of the session, students explored real-life graphing by creating a human coordinate grid. Each student was assigned a coordinate and followed instructions such as “stand up if your x-coordinate is 2” or “stand up if your y-coordinate is -3.” This interactive activity allowed students to visualize vertical and horizontal lines while incorporating key mathematical terminology like parallel lines. It provided an excellent introduction to straight-line graphs, a topic they will develop further in their Maths curriculum.
During Period 5, the remaining Year 7s had their turn to participate. They also engaged in a unique and intriguing game focusing on number properties, adding to the fun and learning of the day.
Beyond the classroom activities, students had the opportunity to take part in a teacher treasure hunt during break and lunchtime or from home via Satchel One. Twenty-five teachers were assigned numbers, and students answered questions such as “What is the sum of the Maths teachers?”, “Which teachers are square numbers?”, and “Which teacher is the smallest prime number?”
Returning this year was the popular virtual escape room. Twenty-five students took on the challenge in their own time, solving complex problems and cracking codes to navigate through ten different rooms in the school. This activity showcased some outstanding problem-solving skills.
Congratulations to the following Year 7 students who won the main quiz in their teaching groups:
- 7Aspire: George M
- 7Tenacity: Ava M
- 7Endeavour: Mason D
- 7Courage: Benjamin C
- 7Integrity: Sophie S
- 7Motivation: Harry C and Logan H
- 7Valour: Maisie B
- 7Determination: Keegan C and Oliver O
Winners received puzzle books, stress balls, stationery kits, and vouchers for Café North.
The winner of the teacher treasure hunt was Oliver M, who received a puzzle book, a stress ball, and a Café North voucher. Meanwhile, Charlie S emerged victorious in the Escape Room challenge and was rewarded with an Amazon voucher!
In the House Competition, the contest was incredibly close. Attenborough claimed victory for the second year in a row, followed by Rowling in second place, Holmes in third, and Hawking in fourth.
Reflecting on the success of the day, Miss Theobald shared, “It was wonderful to see so many students enthusiastically taking part in the activities in the hall and even continuing the excitement at home through the optional competitions. Year 7 has demonstrated impressive mathematical skills, and I’m eager to see how they develop in the coming years at Northgate. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event!”
One of the participants, Natalie P, said, “I really enjoyed Number Day, especially the quiz because it was really fun and I love quizzes. I also learned number aerobics! I took part in the escape room too, and I really enjoyed it.”
Mrs Smith, Head of Maths, was delighted to present the certificates and prizes at the final Year 7 assembly of the half term. To round off the event, Year 7 classes took part in a special lesson investigating the McNugget Number—an engaging mathematical concept (Google it to find out more!). This activity showcased fantastic problem-solving skills across the year group.
A huge thank you to Miss Theobald for organising and running such a fantastic event. Well done to everyone who took part, and a special thank you to those who collected sponsorships to support Childline and the NSPCC in their vital work!
