Our aim at Park Academy is to develop and extend the numeracy of all students in all areas of the curriculum so that they become increasingly competent in number skills, problem solving and data handling. All students are given the opportunity to extend their numeracy skills in a wide range of different contexts across the curriculum as we understand the importance that numeracy plays in creating for opportunities for future success and fulfilling potential.
What is numeracy?
Numeracy isn’t about solving equations or answering sums. Numeracy is about developing confidence and competence with numbers and measures. Numeracy means learning the skills we use in everyday life (perhaps without realising it). It is basic mathematics in real-life situations. It means giving our students the confidence and competence to work numerically in lots of different ways.
The development of numeracy skills is a basic entitlement for all pupils. Poor numeracy skills can hold back students’ progress, not just in Mathematics lessons, but within their lives and in work which is why we believe that improving these skills is a whole-academy matter. There are three areas in which we highlight the Numeracy across the Curriculum here at Park Academy: problem solving; decision making and reasoning.
How is numeracy developed at Park Academy?
Mathematical skills are consolidated and enhanced when students have opportunities to apply and develop them across the curriculum. The teaching of numeracy is the responsibility of all staff and regular opportunities are given to staff to liaise with the Mathematics department in order to support their teaching of numeracy.
Numeracy is also developed during Academic Mentoring. Each week students are given opportunities to discuss the maths that appears in the news and current affairs. Key Stage 3 students complete a programme called “Numeracy Ninjas” which is a fun way to fill any gaps in students’ basic mental calculation strategies and empowers them with their numeracy skills and fluency. This supports our students to full access GCSE Maths concepts when they move to Key stage 4. Our Key Stage 4 students complete the “5 a day” challenge set by Corbett maths. This allows them to recall different parts of the maths curriculum at their level and aids with their revision. Key Stage 5 students have been designed a programme that assists them in their day to day life. Students are taught every day maths like bills, interest etc. so we can be assured they are fully prepared for their next steps.
Useful Information for Parents
Parents and carers play an important role in developing your child’s numeracy and this can be done in many ways: be positive about numeracy and encourage students to use and identify the numeracy in everyday life (for example: shopping and using money, looking at statistics, graphs and charts on TV, thinking logically about problems).
Support the school in the implementation of whole school expectations of numeracy skills in order to maximise the potential of your child and therefore all learners.
Some external useful websites to support numeracy are:
- BBC Skillwise aimed at: key stages 3 and 4,
- Nrich aimed at all key stages.
- Maths Mistakes aimed at all key stages.
- Corbett Maths 5 a day aimed at all key stages.