Pirelli Finalist 2005 Promethean enabled NumberGym Software Reviewed by 
Schoolzone - the leading independent educational review body

The Number Gym has won the Pirelli Internet Award for the Communication of Mathematics, 2007. The results should appear on their website around the end of May 2008.

The best maths software, in the hands of good teachers, is capable of overturning all the old "I hate maths" prejudices. It does this not just with attractive, animated presentation, but by showing some killer features.
It will show movement - so an angle, for example, is revealed as a measure of rotation. It will help personalisation by being tailored to individual needs and abilities. And perhaps most importantly, it'll be responsive to creative thinking: a child can change a number, or move a line, to see what the effect is on everything else. Chris Olley, of Education Interactive, who teaches mathematics to PGCE students at King's College, London, would like teachers to be seeking that kind of "dynamic" software. "By that I mean software that does mathematical things in an open-ended way, promoting mathematical conversations."
One product that looks as if it ticks these boxes is Number Gym (site licence £145, single user £45), a whole suite of activities for key stages 1 and 2, including counting, shape, measures and data-handling. All of them are easy to use, full of movement, and offering lots of instant feedback. Telford and Wrekin local authority has been sufficiently impressed to buy whole-authority licences for Number Gym and its stable mate BondBuilder & TableTrainer. Gerald Haigh, Guardian Education, BETT Preview, 4th December 2007

It is extremely good at adding value for teachers using the IWB (Interactive White Board) to develop mathematical concepts.
The program gives positive feedback due to its accuracy with good teaching points.
The product is self-explanatory and very easy to use, for both pupils and staff.
The software is very intuitive and instructive especially the time module.
The geometry module is perfect for experimentation.
Minimal ICT skills are needed to use the product, and it is therefore ideal for differentiation.
The product is extremely motivational because angles, time and percentages can be seen to be added and removed in real time.
It offers students the opportunity to hypothesise and estimate in areas such as angles and money.
The software is excellent for mental warm-up and lesson starters with the whole class or small groups.
The teacher can use the software to target students on an individual basis in seconds.
The software promotes thinking skills by the removal and insertion of text and answers at relevant points decided on by the teacher.
It develops understanding and reinforces learning by asking students to try again before giving them the correct answer.
Technology is used to create positive reinforcement and encouragement in the feedback of correct or incorrect answers.
Certain areas within the program were stimulating and enjoyable in the teaching of quite difficult mathematical concepts. The activity can be changed and adapted in seconds, changing the whole ethos and difficulty of the lesson.
The product offers very good value for money. On The Number Gym from the 2007 BETT Award Judges (BETT is the world's leading educational ICT event)

I used the Number Gym Plus Enlargement today with my Year 9 revision - a few lightbulb moments !!! The improvements with the ability to switch the guide lines on and off - and the ability to change the centre of enlargement and show how the shape changes position but not size - were really good. The boys liked the clear layout too. Good feedback when I used the software to demonstrate a reflection to a weak Yr 7 class - the fact that the image could be seen flipping across the mirror line was ace - lots of lightbulb moments after they'd struggled with the concept of counting - image and object distance to and from the mirror.  So - thanks for that !!

[Using The Number Gym] I used the 'Percentages activity' as a revision aid with Year 6 and 'Percentages of' with Year 7 - both very successfully. Year 6 loved having the' Zone' activity as a team game - just wondered if you could develop more 'game' type responses so I could split the class into 2 or 3 groups and play them off against each other? Wish you could have seen the tension rise as one group realised they couldn't get maximum points and were therefore going to lose the whole game - appeals to the competitive spirit of my boys!! Couldn't get them to stop playing and go out to break ! Helen Hitchcock, Thorpe House School, Bucks

Bond Builder does ‘just what it says on the tin’- it gradually builds up a student’s skills from very basic number understanding to useful practice for the more competent. Tables trainer gives essential tables practice, building skills to a high standard enabling it to be used by the weakest and strongest students. Our able students are delighted when they get to be Whizz Kids, Clever Cloggs or Genius. At this level they certainly need to understand what they are doing.
Both types of exercises are fun and easy to use, giving students confidence as they improve and speed up. The print outs are ideal for measuring progress and for proud students  to show to parents.
Favourites on the Number Gym so far are the Double Half Challenge and In the Zone. Ann Parker, Director of Maths, Darlington Learning Zone (<<<link)

Yes please I would very much like to receive a new copy of The Number Gym 2.5 as I have found the latest version absolutely invaluable for my planning and teaching. What a fantastic resource.
Yes you certainly can post my comments on your website as it is one of the few resources I have found that is so versitile and helpful to allow the children to gain confidence within the mathematics curriculum. Alison Elliott - Student Teacher

Well what a fabulous site! Just perfect for numeracy starter activities as well as whole-class teaching. I use the games mainly from the interactive white board. I am an ICT consultant so have introduced your site to lots of the schools that I work in. Keep it up, it's brilliant. Daniel Fyles, Tameside LEA

I am a Numeracy Consultant at Peterborough LEA and have just spent the last 45 mins playing with some of your software. It's really good and would be great for some of our schools, many of whom have just got Interactive Whiteboards through government funding. Nick Beech, Peterborough LEA

I use most of your games with my class of Key stage 3/4 SLD [severe learning difficulties] students. They love the competition with the timer and the colours as well as the sound effects (I don't!). Kimberley McHugh, Ashleigh School, North Shields

I think your site is great. I work at a primary school and I find myself often visiting it as it is child friendly which allows the children to be independent learners. Well done!!! Jane Worsley

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