West Norfolk Maths Teachers Visit to RAF Marham – October 2007
Photo Caption:
Maths Teachers from West Norfolk Schools that had been briefed how maths plays a major part in preparing a Paveway IV Bomb.
West Norfolk Maths Teachers Visit to RAF Marham – October 2007
Ten maths teachers from West Norfolk accompanied by the County’s 14 to 19 year old advisor, The Norfolk Maths Advisor and the Norfolk Professional Development Planning Manager visited RAF Marham. The purpose of the visit was to demonstrate the extent that maths was used in the RAF’s aircraft trades. There are 5 aircraft trades and they encompass the following disciplines; avionics, electronics, airframes, engineer and armaments.
The visitors first ‘port of call’ was the Tornado Maintenance School, where they received a brief from 5 instructors covering all the trades. After the briefings the ‘Bomb Dump’ was the next venue, where the armourers demonstrated how they use maths to prepare weapons, calculate safe distances and ensure that the equipment can lift the bombs. After lunch a discussion was held in the RAF trainees on NVQ support to individual Service personnel and how the Enhance Credit System worked. Their final part of the visit was a walk through the Depth Support Wing which works closely with BAe Systems and Rolls Royce. At the end of the tour Mr Edson Moyo, a teacher at Hammond’s High School in Swaffham said:
“This programme is an eye opener for us Maths teachers who have the task of linking the teaching of Mathematics with the world of work. This professional development programme will help most teachers to answer the questions, ‘Why are you teaching us this? Where do I/we use it in life?’ It has given us the opportunity to help students understand that teaching of Mathematics is to equip them with problem solving skills to use in solving the What if situations. Teaching of Mathematics does not stop with a good grade. It leads to application of what has been learnt to solve real life problems. I am really grateful that organisations like RAF Marham have seen it fit to support such ventures. It is a programme worth spending time and money on so that schools can produce graduates who will not let the employers down”.
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