"This year alone, together National Numeracy and Vanquis Banking Group have reached even more individuals with low number confidence up and down the country. From Manchester City and Bradford through the Parental Education Programme, to Portsmouth, London and Marlow through the Corporate Volunteering Programme. It has been a real pleasure to work with the Vanquis Banking Group team this year and I look forward to continuing to grow the impact of our partnership in 2024." Sam Sims, CEO, National Numeracy
In recent times, we have witnessed a growing recognition of the fundamental importance of numeracy in helping individuals and communities to better cope with increasing uncertainty and change. From adapting to new job markets to making the family budget stretch further in the face of the increased living costs, never has there been a better time to support improving numeracy.
Vanquis Banking Group has worked closely National Numeracy for over six years and both organisations have a shared vision: we’re both committed to improving people’s numeracy skills for a better everyday life.
Our Partnership focusses on several areas:
- Creating positive attitudes to numeracy through the Parental Engagement Programme
- Supporting money management, helping people feel more equipped to manage their finances
- Contributing to the National Numeracy Leadership Council, as one of the founding members
- Contributing as Lead Supporter of National Numeracy Day and Number Confidence Week
- Supporting the corporate volunteering programme with volunteers delivering sessions in schools
Supporting National Numeracy Day for the sixth year
Along with inspiring almost double last year's actions to improve number confidence and skills in May alone, the campaign also had significant impact across media.
To support the day we:
- created a website blog post promoting National Numeracy Day and the National Numeracy Challenge
- shared a powerful thought leadership article from our CEO
- encouraged colleagues to take part in the Big Number Natter campaign and discuss how they use numbers in everyday life
Supporting local disadvantaged children and families
We’re also committed to supporting children and young people to develop the number confidence and numeracy skills they need, both at school and throughout their lives. National Numeracy’s work to support children’s numeracy targets disadvantaged communities, where the need is greatest and where improving numeracy can act to drive social mobility.
At the very heart of this work is the Parental Engagement Programme. Working in close partnership with schools, the programme runs across the course of an academic year and comprises the following components:
- Family Maths Toolkit – a set of problem-solving activities for children to complete with their families
- support for parents, carers, and teachers to gain number confidence to help children in their care
- attitudinal workshops, the National Numeracy Challenge online tool, and a parental engagement communications toolkit
- ongoing support and expert advice throughout the school year via teacher workshops and school cluster meetings.
“Children more willing to have a go and worry less about getting answers wrong” Teacher feedback
With our support, National Numeracy was able to extend the Parental Engagement Programme to serve low-income communities with low levels of numeracy in Greater Manchester. By working with non-maths specialist teachers, support workers, parents, and families, it is building confidence, competence, and positive attitudes to numbers for all children.
Last school year the programme worked with 7 schools across Manchester reaching almost 700 pupils.
Corporate Volunteering
Vanquis Banking Group have been instrumental in the first year of development of the Corporate Volunteering Programme. With our support, National Numeracy were able to scale up their programme, training corporate employees as Numeracy Volunteers and celebrating everyday maths and number confidence in primary school settings.
Eight schools in Bradford, Portsmouth, London and Marlow were supported by colleague volunteers reaching approximately 1282 children, helping them to explore everyday maths and number confidence.
National Numeracy Leadership Council
As a Founding Member of the National Numeracy Leadership Council, Vanquis Banking Group is one of a small group of high-profile industry leaders and government officials actively addressing the issue of poor numeracy. This work is galvanizing support, elevating understanding and encouraging change at the national level. There is a collective commitment to drive social mobility by improving number confidence as a core life skill.
National Numeracy was established as an independent charity in 2012 to help raise low levels of numeracy among both adults and children and to promote the importance of everyday maths skills.
Challenging negative attitudes, influencing public policy and offering practical ways to help adults and children improve their numeracy.
By working with communities, employers and teachers, the charity enables everyone across the UK to be confident and competent with using numbers and data, so they can make good decisions in their daily lives.
National Numeracy want to improve how all people understand and work with numbers in day to day life – sparking better opportunities and brighter futures.
We too want to empower everyone in the UK to have the numeracy skills that allow them to fulfill their potential at work, home and school. And we believe that a major shift in attitudes is key to this.
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