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The TES: One-to-one fun equals maths excellence
Mathematics: One-to-one fun equals maths excellence
Link : http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6024637
Published in The TES on 9 October, 2009 | By: Helen Ward
Children struggling with basic mathematics make 13-and-a-half months’ progress in three months on revolutionary initiative
The first results from trials of a national maths catch-up scheme for seven-year-olds show those involved making in excess of four times the normal rate of progress.
More than 2,600 children were given one-to-one tuition for half an hour daily over a term using the Numbers Count methods devised by analysts at Edge Hill University and Lancashire County Council.
The children were chosen because they were not expected to reach level 2 by the end of the year, but three-quarters did after the tuition, which included tailored hands-on activities.
The children made 13-and-a-half months’ progress in three months, and reported an increase in confidence in “having a go” at maths, plus higher enjoyment levels.
William Hill, head of Prince Avenue Primary School, Southend-on-Sea, had 11 children taking part in the scheme last year, and all but two reached level 2 in the summer.
“Our results for maths were not very good,” he said. “I came here two years ago and the local authority was looking at interventions that would accelerate children’s progress in maths. We were crying out for something like this.
“The main problem was finding a good teacher and a space. We were lucky that we had someone, Jan Greenwood, who was covering a maternity leave. She stayed on as our Numbers Count teacher.
“We had a space between two classrooms that was being used as a cloakroom, which we converted with some help from the local authority. The caretaker gave it a lick of paint and we were off.
“The sessions are really good fun and the children like to do them. The parents have been really supportive, which is a strength of this programme. The children are now in Year 3 and Ms Greenwood is making sure they stay on track. It isn’t just a question of doing it then stopping and stepping back.
“I just wish we could do more of this. If we had more staff then we would because it makes a difference.”
The Numbers Count scheme is at the heart of Every Child Counts, one of three national initiatives to help children struggling with the 3 Rs. Every Child a Reader for Year 1s was launched first, and Every Child a Writer, for Year 3s, is in development.
Like Every Child a Reader, Every Child Counts has a central teaching programme with the teacher coordinating less intensive support where needed. But while Every Child a Reader has an existing programme - Reading Recovery - at its core, there was no similar programme in maths.
Numbers Count has drawn on best practice from local authority programmes, such as Numeracy Recovery, used in Hackney.
Counting up
Every Numbers Count lesson is different, but the basic structure is there to help build confidence in pupils. Children choose a familiar activity and practice counting singly or in groups, forwards and backwards, before undertaking new learning and a final recap.
For example, to learn to count on, rather than always beginning at one, one teacher used the game ‘Mam’s Knickers’. The teacher pegs three pairs of paper knickers on a line and asks, “If we peg on two more, how many will there be?” The child answers and makes up similar problems for a hand puppet operated by the teacher.
Midlands Business News.co.uk : Barclays Midlands, Every Child Counts Campaign
Midlands Business News.co.uk
Barclays Midlands, Every Child Counts Campaign
Pictured above: Left to right (back row) Diana Johnson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools and Learners with Martin Yates, Barclays (front row) Children from Russell Hall Primary school with Ian Austin MP
Every Child Counts, a campaign to help tackle children's numeracy difficulties, estimated to cost Britain's taxpayers £2.4 billion annually, is being backed by one of the country's leading banks.
Barclays PLC has become one of the first businesses to sign up to this initiative aimed at improving numeracy abilities amongst primary school children. It has pledged £1.4 million to help encourage local businesses to support at least 150 schools and over 6,000 children aged seven improve their maths.
Every Child Counts was being promoted recently in Wolverhampton at a reception attended by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools and Learners, Diana Johnson who is keen to encourage other businesses to get involved in supporting their local school. Diana Johnson commented, "We are fully supportive of any initiative which motivates and engages children to learn and gets results through raising their aspirations. By contributing their time and financial resources, local businesses have the opportunity to put something back into the community by supporting children and their families to reach their full potential."
Barclays' investment will fund specialist teachers who will work with the lowest achieving 5% of seven year olds so that they can catch up with their peers. The 2,600 children taught in the first year of the new national programme made on average 14 months progress on a standardised test of early numeracy, in just over 20 hours of one-to-one teaching over a three month period - that is, over four times the 'normal' rate of progress.
Barclays' support comes after a KPMG report highlighted that the long-term costs of so many children leaving school innumerate could be as high as £44,000 per individual up to the age of 37, making a total bill to taxpayers of £2.4 billion every year. It is part of a £6 million campaign by the Every Child a Chance Trust, an educational charity set up in 2007 to help socially disadvantaged children. This early intervention programme aims to tackle the problem at an early stage, make maths more fun, and to try and avoid young people leaving school without having acquired basic numeracy skills.
Mike Amato, Chief Distribution and Product Officer of Barclays, said: "Every child needs basic numeric skills for survival. Banks in particular are very conscious of this, which is why Barclays has committed to this national campaign in support of Every Child Counts. It also makes good economic sense to invest in our children at an early age so that the gains made can enhance learning and avoid any costly interventions later on in life. We strongly believe that by matching schools with our local retail branches, we are making a significant investment in children's futures, as well as in the future of our company and of the national economy. I am particularly pleased that the programme will give our employees an opportunity to volunteer and serve as business role models for children at such a formative age."
Jeanette Grose, Director of Operations and Development at the Every Child a Chance Trust added, "We are delighted that both Government and Barclays have seen the value of our work by making an investment in the Every Child Counts programme. The West Midlands is our first regional business pilot and we will be taking the learnings to create a model that we can then roll out to other areas.
The government wants every school to have its own business partner. We are calling on all companies in the West Midlands to join with us to help improve numeracy for the most disadvantaged children and give them the best start in life."
The Every Child a Chance Trust's new local business support programme aligns well with the recommendations unveiled earlier this year by the National Council for Educational Excellence (NCEE), calling on school and colleges to establish stronger links with local businesses. The recommendations point to the significant contributions that businesses can make in raising the aspirations and achievements of young people, particularly in the areas of basic literacy, numeracy and life skills including knowledge of the world of work.
The Mirror: Struggling maths pupils make The Mirror - 14 months progress in 20 hours with 1-1 teaching
By Mark Ellis 9/10/2009 The Mirror
A pioneering one-to-one teaching scheme for six and seven-year-olds with maths problems saw them make 14 months progress in 20 hours.
Each of the 2,621 children, who were often from the poorest backgrounds, had individual 30-minute sessions with a specialist teacher every day for 12 weeks.
Almost 75 per cent of the pupils, who had difficulties with simple arithmetic, reached or exceeded a national target.
The pilot scheme, run by educational trust Every Child A Chance, said the children made an average of 13.5 months progress after 20 hours - four times the normal rate of learning development.
Nearly one in 10 children made exceptional gains of more than 24 months. The lessons concentrate on making learning fun for the children. Methods include using a miniature shop with prices on items. A large puppet named George makes mistakes when he counts and children have to correct him.
The Every Child Counts scheme costs £2,500 per pupil. More than four in 10 of those taught were living in poverty.
One experienced maths teacher who took part in the scheme told the trust: "I've learned more in the past few months than I ever remember learning."
Schools minister Vernon Coaker added: "These are stunning results."
The pilot scheme results will be published today. It will be expanded in the next two years to target 200 schools and reach 30,000 low-achieving children.
SCHOOL REPORT
Catton Grove Primary, Norwich
The school serves an area of "significant social deprivation" with high numbers of children eligible for free school meals.
Head Tim Lawes said the Every Child Counts scheme had transformed results at the school.
A total of 95 per cent of children in the 500-pupil school had achieved the nationally expected standard in maths compared to 89 per cent nationally. Teachers also saw a big change in children's confidence.
Mr Lawes said: "These children no longer see themselves as failures."
Annual report 2009-10
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