Numeracy
Numeracy at Newark Academy
Newark Academy School is committed to raising the standards of numeracy of all of its students.
We know how vital numeracy skills are for all aspects of modern life; we want all our students to be confident and capable in the use of numeracy to support their own learning in all areas of the curriculum. Students should acquire the skills necessary to help achieve success in further education, employment and adult life.
The outcome of a consistent approach both across school and at home should be numerate pupils who are confident enough to tackle mathematical problems without going immediately to teachers or friends for help.
Students should be aiming to:
Have a sense of the size of a number and where it fits into the number system;
- Know by heart number facts such as number bonds, multiplication tables, doubles and halves;
- Use what they know by heart to work out answers mentally;
- Calculate accurately and efficiently, both mentally and with pencil and paper, drawing on a range of calculation strategies;
- Recognise when it is appropriate to use a calculator, and be able to do so effectively;
- Make sense of number problems, including non-routine problems, and recognise the operations needed to solve them;
- Explain their methods and reasoning using correct mathematical terms;
- Judge whether their answers are reasonable and have strategies for checking them where necessary;
- Suggest suitable units for measuring, and make sensible estimates of measurements; and
- explain and make predictions from the numbers in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables.
Parents/carers can help support students by:
- Helping your child feel positive about maths is really important and it’s something every parent can do. We believe that everyone is a mathematician.
- Showing them mathematics is everywhere – pointing this out helps children understand the importance of mathematics and to enjoy it too.
The following website suggests practical ways for parents/carers to help their children with numeracy:
https://www.familymathstoolkit.org.uk/
Promotion of Numeracy across the curriculum
At Newark Academy we promote numeracy across all areas of the curriculum where appropriate.
- Numeracy activities include:
- Weekly Numeracy Ninjas at KS3
- SPARX timetable challenges https://sparxmaths.com/
- Whole school celebrations of Number Day and World Maths Day
- Assemblies including numeracy/mathematics
- Participation in UKMT maths challenges (individual and team) across all year groups https://ukmt.org.uk/