Objective:
How one Scottish Primary School used Active Learning to transform Maths engagement
Gavinburn Primary School show how building on children's sporting passions can unlock motivation, reduce anxiety, and breathe new life into numeracy learning.
At Teach Active, we know that children bring a whole world of interests and energy into the classroom — and the best learning happens when teachers find ways to tap into that. Gavinburn Primary School in Scotland did exactly that, and the results speak for themselves.
The Challenge: Harnessing a School Full of Sporting Stars
The staff at Gavinburn noticed something striking about their pupils. A huge number of them were competing outside of school — in dance, football, gymnastics, netball, and more — at local, national, and even international level. That level of drive and passion was already there. The question was: how could the school bring it into the classroom?
"As a staff we felt that an opportunity to build on that passion would really engage and motivate our learners," the team reflected.
The Approach: A Whole-School Commitment from Day One
Rather than a quiet trial in one classroom, Gavinburn went all in. Staff discussed Teach Active together and agreed it was the right fit. The teaching team undertook training and tried the lessons out for themselves — which, by their own admission, got them genuinely excited. Learning assistants were brought on board through a dedicated SLT-led session, ensuring the approach extended into intervention groups across the whole school.
Teachers were then asked to deliver at least one Teach Active lesson per week for a month, before coming back together to review. The outcome? Unanimous positivity — from every member of staff.
They were so confident in what they'd found that they updated their Teaching and Learning Handbook to embed the active learning approach as standard. This wasn't a pilot. It was a permanent shift.
The Impact: Pupils Who Are Engaged, Motivated and Loving Maths
The difference in the classroom was immediate and visible. Children who were previously disengaged with numeracy were now eager participants. More than that, they could articulate exactly why it was working for them.
"It helps my learning and my wellbeing!" — Alfie, P7
"It helps us to work collaboratively and communicate with each other on our learning." — Mollie, P7
"Not every school gets to learn the way we do so we're lucky." — Henry, P7
"I like the competitiveness as it forces my brain to work faster so I can get bragging rights!" — Alannah, P7
That last quote from Alannah is one of our favourites. The same competitive spirit that drives these children on the pitch or the gym floor? It's now powering their maths lessons too.
What the Headteacher Says
Headteacher Lorna Blackhurst summed it up perfectly:
"Teach Active is a great fit for us to hook learners into numeracy learning through their wider interests in PE. Taking learning outdoors and making it active really helps concepts stick with the children and has reduced feelings of anxiety around maths. It is so refreshing to find a resource which maximises engagement for the children without an impact to staff workload and wellbeing."
That last point matters enormously. Engagement without extra burden on teachers is at the heart of everything we build.
What's Next for Gavinburn
Having embedded Teach Active into their numeracy provision, staff are now finding they feel more confident and empowered to bring this style of active learning into the wider curriculum. What started as a way to make maths more exciting has become a whole-school philosophy.
Could Teach Active work for your school? If you'd like to see how our movement-based lessons could boost engagement and attainment in your classroom, explore our resources or book a free demo with our team.