PUPILS are being given the chance to harness their maths skills by swapping the classroom for the racecourse.

Calculating odds and prize money and recording finishing times are all in a day’s work for first-year students from Musselburgh Grammar after the school teamed up with the town’s racecourse.

It is part of a drive to teach the youngsters how numeracy skills can impact on their daily lives.

Millions of us have a flutter on the Grand National, but few would consider a racecourse the place to educate kids.

Yet to the delight of parents, pupils and teachers, that is exactly where 200 youngsters from the school have been going.

Head teacher Colin Gerrie said the first venture to the racecourse was so successful they’re planning more next year.

“We have to get away from this 20th Century thinking that schools are just about exam results,” he said.

“Times have changed and we have to look beyond the school gates. We look at the skills children are learning through employability programmes and want to provide opportunity and build confidence that inspires them into the world of work.

“Whatever your views on this sport, children can see the relevance of numeracy. There is a perception about gambling of course, but is it not fair for pupils to see the risks and the other side themselves?

“Showing this relevance of numeracy to everyday life enriches the curriculum and the response has been terrific. Parents really see the value in it.”

The venture has proved a big hit with pupils too.

Claire Maclean, 12, said: “I prefer getting involved when it comes to using maths. We measured the parade ring’s circumference and that was a lot more interesting than just reading something out of a book.”

Ethan McGrogan and James Forrest, both 12, said they’d like to see more hands-on trips away from the class.

Kadiene Mason, 12, added: “I didn’t know what to expect but I really enjoyed it, particularly when we got to try on the jockey’s jerseys and helmets.”

The charity Racing To School is behind the initiative and operates the scheme at hundreds of schools in England, with a handful of Scottish schools now joining in.

Chief executive John Blake said: “Racing offers many opportunities to explore school subjects in a practical way.

“From weights and measures and the handicapping system, to the geometry in the construction of fences and the art and symmetry in jockeys’ silks.

“Few other settings could offer young people so many exciting ways of practising their school subjects and applying them to real life.”

In Musselburgh, pupils also went behind the scenes, touring the track, the winner’s parade ring and the jockeys’ weighing room.

In addition to using maths to determine race distances and handicapping of horses, the pupils learned about things like a horse’s diet and how the venue prepares for race days.

Sarah Montgomery, Musselburgh Racecourse’s senior operations and commercial manager, said: “Children have been surprised by what goes on during a race day.

“You need to have a variety of skills here and hopefully this opens up their eyes about future career opportunities on their doorstep.”

Sample calculations for the kids from Racing To School

1. If a jockey has to weigh 11 stone five pounds in their first race, and then 10 stone 10 pounds in their next race, how many pounds lighter will they have to be?

2. A flat jockey earns about £115 per race they ride in. How much would a jockey riding in five races in one day earn?

3. Red Rum won the Grand National three times and finished second twice. The race has 30 fences in it, so how many fences did he have to jump altogether? (Answers below picture)

ANSWERS: 1. Nine pounds. 2. £575. 3. 150