Maths4Us showcase event Wednesday, June 12, 2013 - 14:54

Maths4Us, a NIACE-led initiative, has brought together partners over the last six months to support maths learning by recruiting 8,000 Maths Champions and developing a range of approaches, resources and training - all showcased at an event on Monday 17 June.

Those attending had the chance to preview online courses under development and received free copies of new resources including Maths4Families and Maths Voices. They also hd the opportunity to attend a number of workshops and hear from a range of speakers, including Maths Champions and Dr. Susan Pember OBE, former Director, FE and Skills Investment, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Sue Southwood, NIACE Programme Manager, said:

"Negative attitudes to maths are still deeply rooted in British society, but our event will provide an opportunity for providers, practitioners, employers, advice workers, unions, ULRs, researchers and academics to discuss how together, we can be a real force to challenge this. Working across sectors enables us to focus on how to improve maths for adults in all aspects of their lives – to help them in the workplace and at home to manage their finances and support their children.

"It’s encouraging that maths also appears to be a cross-party concern, as several Members of Parliament have publicly supported Maths4Us, including Caroline Dineage MP for Gosport, Alex Cunningham MP for Stockton North, Nic Dakin MP for Scunthorpe, Kelvin Hopkins MP for Luton North and Simon Kirby MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven."

Alex Cunningham, MP for Stockton North, said:

"Numeracy skills are critical to everyone’s lives yet there are still many adults, young and not so young, who don’t have the most basic of number skills and are left at a huge disadvantage in the world of work, but also in their home lives. How can we expect them to understand their bills, know how to budget and even go shopping without the skills many of us take for granted? It is essential that initiatives like Maths4Us run by NIACE are developed throughout the country to identify people with few in any numeracy skills and set them on the road to understanding. I look forward to promoting their work in my Stockton North constituency."

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said:

"I fully endorse the work of NIACE and its aim of providing accessible adult maths education across the Country and within the Brighton Kemptown constituency. This service shows that maths is not just an academic exercise but can help in gaining employment and assist in daily necessities like managing a household budget."

Wider interest from MPs is also evident and encouraging, as David Blunkett MP - who has a strong history of supporting adult learning - enjoyed a recent visit to a family learning class at Watercliffe Meadow Community Primary School in Sheffield.

Ian Read, Headteacher at Watercliffe Meadow Community Primary School, said:

"David really engaged with our parents and children and spoke passionately about the importance of adult and family learning in communities like ours. He was genuinely interested in what was going on in the area. He spoke honestly about what he thought could and should be done and it was a refreshing change to hear a politician talk genuinely about what he felt was important."

Sue Southwood, added:

"We know that being confident with maths can dramatically improve life chances and early years education makes a crucial difference to this. Children need parents, carers, childminders, nursery staff and playgroup leaders who are confident in their own maths skills, recognise the importance of maths and are skilled in building children’s confidence in the subject. Without this, we have no chance in challenging negative attitudes to maths in our society and cannot build a strong foundation in maths learning that doesn’t leave significant numbers of children and adults out in the cold. Learning to help their children is a great hook into learning for many adults who would otherwise feel daunted by going to a maths class."