Numeracy
Vision
Orchardside is dedicated to raising the standards of numeracy of all of its students. We want our students to be confident and proficient in the use of numeracy to support their learning in all areas of the curriculum and to develop the skills necessary to cope successfully with the demands of further education, employment, and adult life.
Numeracy permeates a wide range of different skills and concepts and therefore should form a fundamental part of a students’ learning. Numeracy will be strengthened and enhanced through opportunities to apply and develop numeracy skills across the curriculum. Poor numeracy skills hold back students’ progress and can lower their self- esteem.
All teachers and support staff will have a role to play in supporting students’ progress in numeracy. Particular emphasis should be placed on the application of numerical skills in real life and practical situations.
A whole school approach to developing numeracy supports the aims of the school by:
- Ensuring students are able to access the curriculum,
- Ensuring that students make progress.
- Ensuring students are confident, independent learners.
Aims
- Develop, maintain, and improve standards of numeracy across the school.
- Ensure consistency of practice including methods, vocabulary, and notation etc. across the school.
- Source areas for collaboration between subjects.
- Support the transfer of students’ knowledge, skills and understanding between subjects.
Purpose
- To improve numeracy skills of all students and thus empowering them to access the curriculum in a more effective, engaging, and dynamic manner.
- To establish and maintain high, consistent expectations across the curriculum and in turn raising standards across all subjects.
- To develop student’s numeracy skills, ensuring students are flexible thinkers and can apply mathematical concepts to help them solve real life problems,
- To support students with weak numeracy skills through intervention strategies,
- To develop students’ confidence and raise their self-esteem.
- To prepare students for life in a data led society by ensuring that independent numeracy skills are taught, developed, and applied.
Students who need extra support with their numerical skills will access following programmes.
Catch-Up Numeracy
This is an intervention programme that helps to fill gaps in students’ basic mental calculation skills and to empower them with the numeracy skills and fluency required to fully access the GCSE programme of study.
Numeracy Ninjas
This programme supports learners in developing high levels of fluency with important numeracy skills that are prerequisites for success in GCSE mathematics.
Numerical skills are not only essential to academic studies, but also for the ability to be successful mathematicians in everyday life skills such as budgeting, time-management, understand taxes and salaries as well as mortgages. This will empower students with the skills to operate in society effectively and empower them to lead successful lives.
