National Numeracy & The National Numeracy Challenge Youth Employment Conference 13 th May 2014 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved 1

78% of adults in England are working below L2 (A*-C at GCSE) 2 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved 17 million adults (49% working age population) at levels expected of children at primary school The landscape: England

The landscape: the UK 3 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved Across the UK c. 3/4 of the adult population are working at a level below the minimum expected standard of school leavers

Literacy levels have improved, numeracy levels have declined… 4 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved Adults with Skills Equivalent to ‘C’ or Above at GCSE in England

Poor Numeracy Costs the Nation A team of PBE volunteers took on this research challenge, producing analysis that puts, as its central, conservative estimate, the cost to the UK of poor adult numeracy at £20.2 billion per year (or about 1.3% of GDP).

OECD - PIAAC 2013 The impact of good numeracy Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved Likelihood of Positive Social and Economic Outcomes Among Highly Proficient Adults odds ratio “good” to “excellent” health high levels of trust participation in volunteer activities high levels of political efficacy high wages being employed Literacy Numeracy ‘Good numeracy is the best protection against unemployment, low wages and poor health’ Andreas Schleicher OECD 2 nd Dec

7 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved Our vision: to change this cycle…

8 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved Our Essentials of Numeracy Being Numerate is knowing what to do with the tools… …so that you can use quantitative information to make good decisions Being numerate – it is more than knowledge…

9 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved Understand the value of maths in everyday life. Ability is not fixed. Develop a ‘can-do’ attitude. Recognise that everyone struggles in order to succeed - its part of the learning process. Recognise the benefits of improving numeracy. Attitudes and building ‘mathematical resilience’…

10 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved 1. A challenge to the UK to:  Change attitudes  Improve numeracy levels of the 78% below equivalent of ‘C’ at GCSE 2. A challenge to: Employers & Unions Adult education bodies Community organisations Individuals to work with us to effect this change. 3. An interactive website designed to:  assess an adult’s everyday maths skills  provide a suite of learning which will improve their skills and confidence and track their progress The National Numeracy Challenge – 1 million adults over next 5 years…

11 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved The Challenge journey

12 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved Some of the Challenge partners

Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved 13 The Challenge Online: a learning process

14 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved They will:  promote the Challenge and encourage wider take- up  act as first point of contact  encourage and support participants … supporting:  learners within their organisation or within the community  National Numeracy in promoting the Challenge across the UK Challenge Champions

The Challenge Online Progress Some data into user activity on the Challenge Online 31,688 20,273

16 Copyright © National Numeracy All right reserved Established:  A new Research Centre for Numeracy and Literacy … to explore:  Behavioural and pedagogical ‘nudges’ to support numeracy and build resilience  Deploying the EAST (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely) methodology  Using analysis of Challenge data - both regression + RCTs Working with BIT

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