National Numeracy Day 2024 Secondary
Welcome to the toolkit for Secondary settings
Thank you for signing up to take part in National Numeracy Day on Wednesday 22 May!
With your support, we can help more children than ever build their skills and confidence with numbers.
To help your planning:
Posters
Use these posters around your nursery, school or youth group to get everyone talking about National Numeracy Day and the Number Heroes Competition.
Bunting
Download and print this bunting to decorate your school spaces or community areas, and get in the National Numeracy Day spirit.
Smartboard displays
Use these smartboard displays around your nursery, school or youth group to get everyone talking about National Numeracy Day and the Number Heroes Competition.
The Big Number Natter
The Big Number Natter is the UK's only nationwide conversation about numbers. It's an opportunity to talk about how we feel about maths and share our thoughts and experiences openly. Use these guides and resources to hold Big Number Natters with your students. Whether a Big Number Natter session in an assembly, or a Quick Number Natter in class, we've got everything you need to get everyone talking comfortably about numbers.
Activities
Activities from the Royal Astrological Society
Time and space can be mind bending concepts, but numbers help us to make sense of them. Watch this fun and fascinating lesson starter with Bobby Seagull, Jessica Gagen and Dr Sheila Kanani from the RAS.
Then, with these activities you can find out how long a year is on different planets, and travel through time using light speed.
Dance with Strictly's Katya Jones
Strictly Come Dancing’s star Katya Jones is helping get the nation get number confident with some cowboy swagger! This activity helps boost children's number confidence using movement, and there’s nothing to stop the grown-ups joining in too!
Get baking with Peter Sawkins
Bake Off winner Peter Sawkins has created a recipe for the perfect scone! Don't fight over how to pronounce these delicious things, just get baking by using the download button below. You can also watch his video introduction on YouTube.
Poetry slam with Harry Baker and Times Tables Rock Stars
Our master poet Harry visited Parbold Douglas Academy in Wigan to roll out his activity this year. What a day they had!
Watch the video, and download the resource pack for tips on how to create your own, teacher guidance, and certificates for participation!
Money activities from Mr MoneyJar
Finance expert and podcaster Timi Merriman-Johnson, aka Mr MoneyJar, has created a set of resources to help children learn about savings, in a fun and imaginative way. It’s not about having lots of money, but about learning to use what you do have wisely – a subject dear to Timi’s heart.
Number confidence tips for children from Rachel Riley
Countdown's resident arithmetician shares four fantastic tips that anyone can use to build their confidence with math and numbers. It's not always easy to get the hang of maths at school and that's where remembering these tips comes in handy.
Number Heroes Competition
Create a picture of you doing your dream job or hobby and tell us how it uses numbers. Let your imagination run wild and win a fantastic prize for yourself and a prize bundle for your nursery, school or youth group.
The 2024 competition has now closed. Winners will be contacted on or before 25 June 2024, and runners-up will be contacted on or before 3 July 2024.
Shakespeare and numbers
As one of the most famous wordsmiths in history, you may be surprised to be reading about Shakespeare on National Numeracy Day! But numbers played a key part in Shakespeare's work, as well as his life.
Rob Eastaway, author of Maths for Mums and Dads , shares some facts about how Shakespeare used numbers.
National Numeracy Day Live – supported by Numberblocks
Catch up on National Numeracy Day LIVE: our interactive, space-themed, celebrity-led livestream!
Supported by CBeebies Numberblocks, the event is suitable for all children aged 3-11.
For adults:
Promoting the National Numeracy Challenge
The National Numeracy Challenge is an online tool that builds numeracy skills and confidence, with 300+ everyday maths questions and tutorials, multimedia resources, technology that adapts to individual learning levels and signposting to further support.
The Challenge is the perfect way to boost the number confidence of anyone over the age of 13, all year round, and is a great next step after you have had a Big Number Natter.
Big Number Natter resources for teachers and staff
Everything you need to plan your Big Number Natter:
Plan your session
Get started planning your Big Number Natter sessions with these notes for organisers. Then get stuck in to all the other resources.
![[field.image-text]](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_and_crop_600x350/public/images/How-to-run-sessions_BNN_2024_600x350.png?itok=PrHkZqvu)
![[field.image-text1]](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_and_crop_600x350/public/images/Posters_BNN_600x350.png?itok=p3FCyfxO)
Your Number Natter Slides
Hold a 15-30 minute session using these slides, provided with presenter notes.
![[field.image-text2]](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_and_crop_600x350/public/images/BNN_slides_2024.png?itok=ag4GxQ5i)
Quick Number Natter talking points
Use these ideas to spark a less formal conversation about numbers.
![[field.image-text]](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_and_crop_600x350/public/images/Quick-Number-Natter-Talking-Points_2024_600x350.png?itok=vRVjZQWx)
Ideas for Number Nattering on social media
Use these ideas to encourage everyone to follow up on your session with some social media ideas for individual Number Natters.
![[field.image-text1]](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_and_crop_600x350/public/images/Individuals_nattering.png?itok=jhkSvnWV)
Tips for talking about numbers
Training Officer Ishraq Li-Rahman held a Number Natter with National Numeracy's own staff, and here shares his learnings and advice for holding your own.
![[field.image-text2]](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_and_crop_600x350/public/2024-05/Ish-blog-image-NND24.png?itok=vJeH24pS)
Be sure to tag us in any social media activity and use #NationalNumeracyDay so we can see and share what you're up to! You can find us on:
- X: @Nat_Numeracy
- Facebook: @nationalnumeracy
- Instagram: @national_numeracy
- LinkedIn: National Numeracy
- TikTok: @nationalnumeracy
