Numeracy Volunteers hub
Welcome to your resource hub.
Use the resources on this page to help you in your role as a Numeracy Volunteer.
Numeracy Volunteer Onboarding and Training
Our training is delivered online in one 90-minute Teams session, allowing you to participate from anywhere. Each session includes:
- Numeracy issues in the UK: Addressing the challenges and impacts of poor numeracy.
- Overcoming Maths Anxiety: Strategies to help people conquer their fear of maths.
- Promoting Positive Attitudes: Techniques to support children in developing a love for maths.
- Effective Delivery: Tips for presenting engaging assemblies and class sessions.
- Safeguarding Responsibilities: Ensuring you understand your duties in protecting children.
- Next steps: Guidance on continuing the journey as a National Numeracy Volunteer.
For safeguarding and insurance purposes you must also complete the training and our registration form before we can contact a school for you.
Our volunteering activities
Activity 1: My Maths Story Assembly
The ‘assembly session’ is a volunteer-led activity where you’ll talk about how you found maths at school, how you feel about it now, and how you use it in your job and hobbies. You’ll also ask the children how they use maths outside of school. The assembly includes lots of photos, suggestions of questions to ask the children and an ‘Everyday Maths’ video.
Activity 2: Maths in the Real World Class Session
The ‘class session’ is teacher-led and classroom-based, supported by one or more volunteers. Children meet a range of real and fictional characters during the activity and explore how they each use maths in their job and hobbies. Children are also asked to think about how they use maths outside of school. Your role in the class session is to support the children in their discussions about how they and the different characters use maths every day.
How did it go?
We love to hear about our volunteer’s experiences visiting our schools. We’d be pleased to get your feedback and if you’re happy to, for you to post all about your visit on social media. LinkedIn particularly is a fantastic platform to increase our reach, so please do post to promote your involvement and impact as a Numeracy Volunteer amongst your professional networks and beyond.
Supporting children with the Family Maths Toolkit
The Family Maths Toolkit is full of ideas to help parents, families and children aged 13 and under enjoy everyday maths together.
You may wish to share the resources with colleagues to use with their own families.
Get access to free Family Maths activities
Family Maths Toolkit messaging templates
Family Maths Toolkit QR Code Poster
Try the National Numeracy Challenge
However you feel about maths, you’re not alone. The National Numeracy Challenge is a free and easy-to-use website you can use to improve your confidence with numbers, in your own time and at your own pace.
It’s ideal for brushing up, checking your level, or for catching up on learning you missed, and it’s all about the maths you need in daily life and at work – no algebra or trigonometry.
