How many penguins can you balance on a wobbling iceberg was just one of the challenges that pupils in Years 7 and 8 from Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls and Monmouth School solved on Monday.  Working in mixed teams the pupils attempted a number of Puzzle Challenges which aimed to develop thinking skills, team work, communication and persistence.  As they solved the puzzles, pupils needed to develop their awareness of pattern and sequencing, lateral thinking and visual awareness.  The giant puzzles proved quite challenging and perhaps it was the road map which needed the most persistence for some groups while others were floored by the tube problem.
 There was no doubt that the pupils were on task and concentrating hard as they grappled with these mathematical puzzles in the school hall and it proved to be a successful, entertaining and educational day.
The Puzzle Challenge was part of a programme of activities organised to celebrate National Brain Awareness Week.