If PM Rishi Sunak wants to supercharge the UK’s maths skills, he could do worse than supporting women and girls. This is a key takeaway by National Numeracy from their new research, completed by Research Partners.
The research shows how vital confidence is in improving numeracy. Without the confidence to believe that their ability to use numbers can improve, people lack the motivation and self belief necessary to try and achieve positive change. Education and training policy has long focussed solely on maths skills, without factoring in the critical role of number confidence. This needs to change.
Sam Sims, Chief Executive of National Numeracy, said: “It’s an affront to our society that thousands of young people leave school every year feeling negative and fearful about numbers. These experiences can hold people back for a lifetime.
This report reveals the power of improving number confidence, particularly when it comes to work opportunities and broader learning outcomes. But it also reveals a yawning gap in number confidence between women and men. We cannot possibly improve the numeracy of the nation without addressing that gap.”
It has been great to see National Numeracy able to launch the research successfully and succeed in securing interest from the national press. You can see coverage by the Financial Times here.
