Johnny Ball visits Beaconsfield's High March School

Johnny Ball, who presented many shows between the 1970s and 1990s focusing on mathematics, hosted a workshop at the High March School in Beaconsfield on February 2.

This took place on the NSPCC Number Day, which sees schools up and down the country raise money for the charity through causes focusing on maths.

Many props were used for the day (Image: NQ)

And despite being 85-year's-old (a reference he joked about during his segment), the former stand-up comedian managed to get the primary school students engaged in learning about the subject.

However, he admits that the current curriculum is ‘awful’ and hopes things can change in the short term.

He told the Free Press: “The stuff I do covers a huge area of ground and it’s beyond what they’re learning in the curriculum, but as it’s all in pictures and Illustrations, they should be able to absorb it.

Members of staff and pupils took part (Image: NA)

“I’ve done it for many years as my presentations resemble a stand-up act.

“I was a stand-up for 17 years so I know where to change, how to change it but I don’t do a lot of it now as I’m 85 and people think I’ve fallen off the perch, but I did look fit today!”

He spotted the camera (Image: NQ)

On the current state of the subject being taught in the UK, he added: “The sadness is that the curriculum is awful.

Around 40 years ago when I did my programmes, we realised that the best mathematicians were coming out of Singapore and we didn’t know why.

“We looked into it and saw that they were still using the same textbooks 30 years prior and their maths were so powerful.

One of the many exercises (Image: NQ)

“The sad thing is, politicians have come in and have thought, ‘How can I get better results to show that I’m a good minister?’ I know, I’ll shrink the curriculum’.

“This doesn’t work as it bores the kids as the teachers go over the same material.”

Despite his concerns, he enjoyed the occasion as he included pupils and members of staff in his demonstrations, as he discussed the works of Sir Isaac Newton, Galileo Galilei and Christopher Colombus.

Headteacher, Kate Gator added: “It’s NSPCC Number Day and at High March, we’re joining in all things numbers and mathematics so we can infuse the girls about maths by helping the charity.

Geography was even discussed (Image: NQ)

It’s been an enjoyable day.

“They’ve been our charity since 1948 and we always celebrate it.

“Johnny Ball is a real icon, especially for us teachers so it was great to welcome him to the school.

“We’re lucky that our girls love maths.”