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Operation Rebuild and Recover

A Wartime-Themed Real-World Maths Investigation for UKS2 (Year 5&6)

Ideal For:

• Year 6 SATs revision or end-of-year projects
• Stretching higher-attaining Year 5 pupils
• Cross-curricular topic weeks (History + Maths + English)
• Problem-solving and reasoning enrichment
• Assessment for learning through open-ended tasks

Overview:
Step into post-war Europe in this immersive and dramatic maths investigation designed for Year 6 students. Operation Rebuild and Recover places pupils in the role of Allied relief operatives tasked with supporting Miss Evelyn Moore — a brilliant wartime mathematician — in delivering aid, managing logistics, and analysing impact. Combining history with mathematical reasoning, this rich cross-curricular programme builds fluency, deepens problem-solving, and gives maths a real purpose.

Learning Objectives Covered:

Mission 1: Aid Distribution & Budget Analysis

• Four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
• Estimation and rounding
• Exchange rate calculations
• Fractions, decimals, and percentages
• Ratio and proportion
• Budget allocation and financial reasoning

Mission 2: Storage, Transport & Spatial Reasoning

• Negative numbers
• Volume, area, perimeter
• Measurement conversion
• Capacity and space planning
• Logical problem-solving with constraints

Mission 3: Data Handling & Statistics

• Line graphs and bar charts
• Plotting and interpreting data
• Range and estimation
• Predictive trends
• Real-world graph reasoning

What’s Included in the Resource:

• Worksheets and PowerPoint
• Data sets, maps, and relief scenarios
• Narrative prompts featuring Miss Evelyn Moore
• Answer sheet

Why Teachers Love It:

• Curriculum-aligned, but creatively presented
• High levels of challenge and critical thinking
• Easily adapted for mixed-ability groups
• Encourages collaboration, discussion and justification
• Real-life purpose brings maths alive in a meaningful context