Napier’s Bones

At SVPS the teachers are always keen to reach out to seek new and innovative ways to deliver the curriculum and enhance the children’s’ learning opportunities; finding different ways to understand.  Napier’s Bones is a method of tackling multiplication computations in a way that enables children to ‘chunk’ and break down the process.  Mrs Skelly ran a workshop on this at our ‘Helping your Child with English and Maths Information Evening’ earlier this term and last week, ‘bone’s fever’ spread throughout the Prep Department!  The children not only found out how to use Napier’s Bones to complete the mathematical challenges aimed at their year group, but then raised the bar and used the same method, applying it to increasingly complex operations.  Of course, the children will be shown how to complete the formal methods for long multiplication as well, at an appropriate time, but using Napier’s Bones as a tool in the first instance has proved incredibly successful and a huge boost to the children’s mathematical confidence.  YouTube is a great way to learn all about Napier’s Bones and how to help your child use this innovative method at home.

Mrs Skelly
Head of Mathematics