Multiply Numeracy Skills

Multiply is a government-funded initiative to help adults improve their numeracy skills.

If you’re aged 19+ you may be able to access free numeracy courses through Multiply to build your confidence with numbers and, potentially, gain a qualification.

Good numeracy skills or confidence with numbers may unlock job opportunities and lead to higher wages or prepare you for further study. They also help in everyday life, such as helping children with homework and budgeting money.

There are a range of courses and opportunities to suit all learning styles. Please get in touch so we can find a course that suits you.

Check your numeracy level

National Numeracy have created a short quiz which will help you to understand where your strengths lie and where you might need some support.

There are 6 multiple-choice numeracy questions, it will take around 5 minutes to complete and you may use a calculator if you wish. Where you answer a question incorrectly, you will be shown the skills and knowledge necessary find the correct answer.

Take the quiz herelink opens in a new tab

What do trusts say ? Hear from an NHS trust who has worked with National Numeracy.

Attitudes towards maths

It is culturally acceptable in the UK to be negative about maths, in a way that we don’t talk about other life skills. We hear ‘I can’t do maths’ so often it doesn’t seem a strange thing to say (Kowsun, 2008). Maths is seen as the remit of ‘mad scientists’, ‘nerdy’ boys, and the socially inept (Epstein et al, 2010). Too many children are told they need a maths brain - we talk about maths as though it is a genetic gift possessed only by a rare few, and inaccessible to the general public.

Yet we all need maths, not just for school, but for everyday life and work. "Good numeracy is the best protection against unemployment, low wages and poor health" (Andreas Schleicher, OECD, 2013).

This paper looks at the causes of negativity, the impact this has, and what can be done to improve attitudes towards maths and numeracy.

Read the full think piece

Tips for overcoming maths anxiety

5 tips for: Overcoming Maths Anxiety

However you feel about maths, you are not alone.

Many of us struggle with using numbers. Here are our top tips to help you overcome maths anxiety.

Talk about your feelings about maths

Being able to talk about it can help relieve anxiety. Often we will learn that those feelings are understandable and lots of people experience them too

Challenge your own beliefs

Are the ways you are thinking about maths being fair on yourself? People often say they can’t do maths, but we all use maths on a daily basis.

Try not to compare yourself to others

Instead of focusing on where you are compared to others, focus on your own journey.

Reduce pressure

Feeling under pressure is a source of maths anxiety, so it naturally follows that reducing it can help. Find ways to help you reduce time pressure and social pressure.

Set realistic goals

Aim to learn in bite sized chunks. This helps our confidence to grow as we are more likely to meet our objectives that way. Setting unrealistic targets can damage our confidence.

Get these tips as a download

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