Nintendos For Afro Caribbean Children

Year six Afro-Caribbean pupils in Hackney are being given computer game consoles to help them do better in maths.

Under a new Learning Trust pilot scheme, twelve primary schools will be given Nintendo DS consoles for brain training games under a new Learning Trust pilot scheme. They will be available to take the consoles home or use at school to practise mental calculation and problem solving.

Some of the schools taking part are Brook Community Primary School in Sigdon Road, St Scholasticas Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School in Kenninghall Road, Lower Clapton, Tyssen Community Primary School, in Oldhill Street. The loan of the consoles will be under the supervision of Learning Trust consultants.

Tyssen head teacher Sue Windross said the brain training had improved maths exam results.

“It is vital children make the grade even at this early age because they are then more likely to get an A-C grade at GCSE level,” she said.

Mike Vance, Caribbean achievement consultant for the trust, said: “This scheme is about helping black Caribbean pupils to practice their mathematical skills when they’re not in school, but it’s also about changing perceptions – we want all our pupils to say ‘I love maths – it’s a cool subject!’”

Early indications suggest pupils taking part in the scheme – part of a national push to tackle underperformance in maths by black Caribbean children – improve their performance by, on average, three National Curriculum sublevels, according to The Learning Trust.