Bridge School Celebrates a Magical Number Day
On Monday 9th February, Bridge School was buzzing with excitement as we celebrated Number Day in spectacular style. We were delighted to welcome Tony, our very own “Magic Maths Man”, who delivered a series of workshops that left pupils wide-eyed, baffled and utterly inspired by the power of numbers.
The day began with a whole-school assembly that had everyone talking. Tony wowed the children with mind-boggling tricks—guessing hidden numbers, revealing secret calculations and transforming everyday objects before our eyes. Gasps echoed around the hall as pupils tried (and failed!) to figure out how he did it. The only thing clearer than the mystery was the maths behind it.
After the assembly, each class took part in their own hands-on workshop, learning tricks they could practise and proudly perform at home. Here’s what each year group got up to.
Reception
Our youngest mathematicians were treated to a series of magical moments that reinforced key early maths skills. They practised one-to-one correspondence, explored 3D shapes and used dice to complete simple calculations. Impressively, they confidently explained that opposite sides of a dice always add up to seven - a fact that proved very useful!
The real mystery? Foam spheres that seemed to multiply before their eyes. One became two, then three - and in a final twist, one even transformed into a cube. Minds were officially blown. A fantastic experience that combined wonder with wonderful learning.
Year 1 and Year 2
Tony began by exploring the properties of dice, discussing edges, vertices and faces before demonstrating a clever trick. When three dice were stacked in a tower, he could instantly calculate the number of hidden dots using the knowledge that opposite faces add to seven.
Next came a pattern challenge involving coloured chains. Even when the colours appeared mixed in the bag, the correct one was always chosen. Magic—or maths? The children had their suspicions!
To finish, Tony shaped a long balloon into different forms while pupils counted edges and identified the shapes. The verdict?
“That was the best maths lesson ever!”
“My favourite trick was the dice trick.”
High praise indeed.
Year 3
Year 3 also mastered the “magic seven” dice tower trick, learning how to multiply seven by the number of dice to calculate hidden totals instantly. They estimated rope lengths and watched in amazement as separate pieces were magically restored.
“I did the dice trick at home to impress my dad,” one pupil proudly shared. Proof that maths homework can sometimes be very cool.
Year 4
Year 4 enjoyed a day packed with mathematical games and clever challenges. They learnt a trick using the 100 square involving multiplication by nine, as well as estimation skills and rope puzzles that required logic and precision.
Many couldn’t wait to try their new skills at home. As Henry reported, “I taught it to my dad and he said ‘amazing.’” That’s one way to earn extra house points!
Year 5
Year 5 delved into number patterns, exploring square and cube numbers to solve complex calculations in seconds. Once the mathematical logic behind the trick was revealed, amazement turned into admiration.
“It was really fun and I am excited to try the trick at home!”
“I squared a two-digit number ending in 5 in seconds!”
Safe to say, some parents may have been quietly checking their calculators that evening.
Year 6
Our oldest pupils learnt techniques for identifying square roots and cubed numbers, as well as quickly squaring two-digit numbers ending in five. They left ready to impress friends and family with their lightning-fast calculations.
Number Day was a brilliant reminder that maths is not just about answers—it’s about curiosity, creativity and confidence. A huge thank you to Tony for helping us see that sometimes, the real magic is understanding how it works.