Imagination Gaming were recently asked to go to Scotland as part of their national maths week.
The schools there had been invited to consider new options and initiatives available to them to help with their maths learning, funded through the Scottish Government, and as part of their search they discovered us.
They were one of a tiny handful of schools to have been successful in their bid.
Our suggestion for the week was to run a series of days of games based learning to not only help reinforce the maths curriculum but to also help these young people with their social skills. Then, once this is done, finish the work with a tournament that would bring children together from special schools across the region for a day of competitive yet fun games.
Over the course of the first two days we worked across the entire school, covering a broad range of ages and abilities working in groups both large and small and in the process we got through a large number of games both old and new.
Whilst children were taught the rules, tactics and the basic skills needed when playing games, the staff were taught how to vary and change the games to suit the players.
How to cope with any issues that arise, changing rules to make it easier or more challenging or how to alter a game so that difficulties found in behaviours can be dealt with. This was popular across the board with everyone seeing and experiencing the benefits that this sort of gaming brings and how effective games are in a school setting.
The final day was the tournament so we had several schools bring teams along to compete for their school. We used several games, changing the rules a little for each, so that everyone could be fully involved and participate. It was so rewarding and fulfilling to see so many people gaming together, with smiles, handshakes and conversations aplenty.
In the end, Saint Kentigerns returned home victorious with their trophy and young Katie, from Linlithgow, walked away as the top player on the day.
It has been a wonderful few days meeting lots of great individuals, young and old, and having left a big games pack for the school, we know we have left something that the school will continue to use for the next several months.
Here’s to the next year, looking forward to it already…..
