Sarah Ogilvie
Sarah was a primary teacher for 15 years and mathematics subject leader for much of that time. Following an in-depth study of Growth Mindsets, she led a change in her last school, enabling children to work in mixed groups, (no more top, middle and bottom tables!), and to choose their own level of difficulty in maths tasks. Pupils were overwhelmingly positive about this change and how it made them feel as learners.
Sarah now lives by the sea and works as a gardener. But she still loves maths and firmly believes that everyone can achieve and enjoy it, whatever their starting point.
101 is Sarah’s first book. She has written two others - both with Growth Mindsets as a core theme and book two will be published in May 2025. Ideas for another two are currently in development, so a set of five is possible!
‘Pupils streamed in, a touch too lively,
The weekend beckoned, today was Friday.’
In a desperate attempt to keep his pupils occupied for an hour, frazzled teacher Mr B sets a particularly challenging maths task. As Carl and his friends settle down to work, Mr B settles down for a well-earned rest. But soon, frustration in the class begins to bubble over, until Carl has a brainwave……..
‘Pearl gets stuck in and draws circles to start,
Dean shakes his head – this is maths and not art!’
Pearl and Dean have very different ideas about how to approach a maths question. As always, Dean is super-confident and leaves Pearl to struggle on alone while he proudly shows Miss G his neat and speedy solution. But this time, events take a rather surprising turn for Dean...
Publishing May 2025
101 REVIEWS
It is a little known teacher fact that the joy of maths isn’t in the final anwer, it’s in the struggle. The ability to persevere, to find patterns, to muster up the confidence to have a go; to be brave and to share your thinking with others.
Sarah skillfully captures these qualities in such an engaging way that no matter where you are on your journey as a mathematician, you will absolutely love ‘101’.
Michelle Aldred, Executive Headteacher, James Dixon Primary School
If you’ve ever looked at a sum and felt frazzled, this is the book for you. Short, sweet and written in rhyme, a great picture/early reader book for pupils who may need a confidence boost in maths.
A clever story that proves to children, the key to maths is patterns, not panic. Written by an experienced former maths lead who is clearly still passionate about showing children that maths can be fun, rewarding and accessible.
@littlevalleybookclub
Do you have a child who loves maths? Then this clever rhyming story could just be the book that gets them into reading too. Celebrating creative thinking, overcoming fears and maths…. this story is a whole lot of fun. I have a degree in Applied Mathematics, so I love any books about maths… and then of course, I also love reading… so this is the perfect combination of two of my favourite topics. I’m already picturing which students I want to hand this book to.
Helen Farch, @fhclibrary, Burnwood East, Vic Australia
101 is a brilliant little book. A fun read the a great stimulus for discussion. It gets you thinking and shows how satisfying maths can be without making your brain hurt! This would be great for children who love maths challenges, or even adults who love a bit of maths. I would also recommend this to any home educators as it would provide several opportunities across reading, writing and maths. Really worth having on your shelf as a teacher.
@missc.reads
A super-funny, very clever story… perfect for maths lovers and inspiring and encouraging for those who find maths tricky. It made us laugh, but we also learned something new. It’s written in rhyme and has some cool illustrations. This story really makes you think about maths differently. Absolutely recommend picking up a copy of this book. It’s ideal for all children, especially beneficial for school libraries, tutors and home educators.
@mum_of_boys_northeast
The rhyming and metaphorical language throughout the book is excellently written. The illustrations [are] so effective for the humour and purpose of the book. I found myself wanting to work out the answer first before reading on; this shows my interest and engagement in what I was reading!
From Amazon reviewer ‘Sarah’