Numeracy Matters 1998

A resource from the National Curriculum Council (NCC). One of the first acts of the new Labour government was to announce national targets for literacy and numeracy, these were for 75 per cent of 11 year olds to achieve the standards expected for their age in mathematics by 2002.

The Numeracy Task Force was established by David Blunkett, Secretary of State for Education and Employment, in May 1997. It was asked to develop a national strategy to raise standards of numeracy in order to reach the national numeracy target.

This preliminary report from the DfEE reflected the views of the Numeracy Task Force. It considered the experiences of other countries in order to learn from them and also built on those areas where there was excellent provision and results. The importance of numeracy in school and adult life was set out and defined as:
"Numeracy means knowing about numbers and number operations. More than this, it requires an ability and inclination to solve numerical problems, including those involving money or measures. It also demands familiarity with the ways in which numerical information is gathered by counting and measuring, and is presented in graphs, charts and tables."

The consultation document solicited reactions from teachers and other professionals to the diagnosis of the numeracy problem and to the outcomes a national strategy should achieve and whether the recommended actions would lead to the fulfilment of the remit by the Secretary of State.

The Task Force was asked to take into account relevant national and international evidence, including evidence about wider educational and social factors affecting performance.
The report set out the Task Force's views about this evidence; desired outcomes for a National Numeracy Strategy were proposed in the light of the evidence and how the Task Force moved from these desired outcomes to recommendations. It lists a number of questions for consultation.

The recommendations were for a National Numeracy Strategy to improve standards and to raise expectations in primary mathematics; these built on the National Numeracy Project and included:
*Training for headteachers, governors and mathematics co-ordinators in all primary schools and in special schools, to enable them to manage, monitor and support effective teaching and learning of mathematics at Key Stages One and Two.

*A daily mathematics lesson in all primary schools of between 45 minutes and one hour, with a high proportion of these lessons spent on numeracy.

*Training for primary teachers to ensure that the daily lesson will allow pupils to reach a high standard of numeracy.

* A greater emphasis on oral and mental work to secure the foundations of numeracy before formal written methods are introduced.