Schools
The overall objective of Number Partners is to support schools
in raising attainment in numbers and financial literacy through the
provision of volunteer numeracy and financial literacy support in
the classroom. Evidence indicates that not only do volunteer Number
Partners from local businesses and other organisations help in
supporting students' numeracy skills, especially mental agility
with numbers, but they are also contributing to the development of
students' personal and social skills.
Now that the Government actively encourages schools to set up a
business link within their community, Number Partners could be the
ideal way for a school like yours to begin or to develop a
relationship with a local company or organisation.
The programme is aimed particularly at 7 to 11 year olds (Key
Stage 2 or P3-6 in Scotland) and 11 to 14 year olds (Key Stage 3 or
P7-S2 in Scotland) but it can be adapted for younger or older
students depending on requirements. Most appropriately, it can be
offered to children who may not be fulfilling their potential, or
who would benefit from additional support. Class teachers or maths
coordinators choose the most suitable pairings or groups of
students for the programme.
This website provides all the information and resources you should need to manage the
programme. This section of the website summarises Number Partners
in 10 easy steps so that schools can register in order to start or continue
their involvement without any delay.
Number Partners in 10 easy steps!
- School appoints a member of staff to act as Number Partners
coordinator and registers for the programme on this
site.
- The school sets about finding a local business or other organisation
able to provide Number Partners. For guidance on this you can visit
the Teachers' Guide to employer engagement or the
businessinschools site.
- The employer recruits volunteers to register individually on
this site.
- Volunteers complete the online training and assessment on this
site, as well as police or criminal record checks.
- Together with colleagues, the school coordinator selects
appropriate students. These may be students who are not confident
at contributing in class, have difficulty in working with others,
require additional time and support to develop their numeracy
skills or are particularly confident in maths and need time to
stretch their knowledge and understanding.
- The school coordinator invites the volunteer coordinator for
the programme into the school to discuss aims and practical
issues.
- Together, the employer and the school need to select and make
available games and
other useful materials for volunteers and students.
- The school coordinator meets volunteers in advance of their
first session with students to ensure that volunteers have their
Number Partners certificates and police or criminal
record check documentation in place.
- Volunteers go into schools at an agreed time once a week to
work with a group of two or three students each.
- The school coordinator stays in touch with the volunteer
coordinator, checks the programme is running smoothly and may be
asked by the Number Partners
Consortium to help evaluate the scheme. You may wish to
undertake evaluation as part of your own approach to ensure that
you are meeting your school's original objectives. For an example
of an evaluation of a Number Partners scheme, please visit the Tower Hamlets EBP website.
Further advise can be found on the Teachers'
Guide to employer engagement in education. This guide helps all
members of school and college staff to learn about working with
employers.
You can also contact us by emailing the administrator at
info@numberpartners.org if you have any questions regarding the
programme.