Numeracy, like literacy, is a core life skill. However, some children have difficulty getting to grips with maths. This might be because they struggle to concentrate in class, but it can also be for a variety of other reasons such as poor school attendance, problems at home, or simply lack of confidence. Many children develop anxiety about maths and then find it difficult to engage in class. This can damage their self-esteem and negatively impact on their behaviour and education as a whole, with long term consequences for their future life.
Primary schools do a great job teaching maths but inevitably have limited time and resources, and the support that children receive at home varies. We created the charity Number Champions in 2018 to provide numeracy support to help fill this gap. Since then, Covid-19 has caused huge disruption to education, amplifying the need to support children with their learning.
Children need to acquire numeracy at a young age in order to develop a toolkit for everyday life. We use basic maths for measuring height, estimating quantities, and planning journeys. We use it when managing our income, taking medication, or working out at the gym. We use it when evaluating whether information is likely to be true or false.
As an adult, if you have good basic maths, you probably don’t even think about it. But if you struggle with numeracy, you will recognise just how much of a barrier it can be in so many aspects of your life.
