Primary school numeracy supporter
Number Champions
We support young primary school children who struggle with numeracy. We train volunteers to use games and creative activities in one-to-one sessions in a local state primary school to help children become interested in maths and gain confidence and skills. You will help children overcome “the maths barrier” and be on a path to achieve their educational and life potential. You will play an important role in your local community, meet new people, develop your skills, and help vulnerable children
Numeracy, like literacy, is a vital life skill, but many children fall behind. Following training, you will work one-to-one with 6 to 8 year olds in a local state primary school to help them imporove their confidence, enjoyment, and skills in maths. The school will select children who are behind in maths and likely to respond well to individual support. Sessions are weekly, in school time, at a fixed time to be agreed between you and the school. Volunteers work one-to-one with each child for up to half an hour, normally with three children consecutively, for a total of about an hour and a half. At each session, using games and other creative activities, support the child in learning or improving skills and gaining confidence in their own ability. The role is very much about helping the child learn, rather than you teaching. Our Mentors (current or former teachers also volunteering with us) will provide you with direct support to help you plan sessions. Commitment We ask volunteers to commit to a weekly session in school for the full school year. (Recognising that you will have to miss occasional weeks.) What impact will this have? You will be helping improve the educational and life chances of the children you work with. A child who is behind in maths aged 6 often develops a dislike for the subject and a belief that "I can't do maths" which can stay with them forever. Helping the child acquire skills and confidence can let them not just engage better with maths but can improve their whole attitude to education, giving them better chances in life. Over half the children we work with are "disadvantaged" in terms of being on pupil premium or having family difficulties You will be giving these children the support that is normal for other children. You will not change the life of every child, but the experience of having a purposeful one-to-one relationship with a considerate adult from outside their family will be transformative for some children. By helping to improve the performance of individual children, you are saving the teacher from having to devote so much time in class to them. This lets the teacher involve the whole class in better-received lessons, improving the educational experience for all the children.
Teaching & Training
Reading & Writing
Enthusiasm for helping young children achieve their potential Interpersonal skills including coaching and keeping the child engaged Confidence in basic arithmetic - at this age the children are learning adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing to 100 or 1000. Commitment to weekly sessions (with a few inevitable breaks) and to volunteering for the full year
You will be helping children achieve their educational and life potential You will be active in your local community meeting new people You will improve your interpersonal and coaching skills From time to time you will have a magic moment when a concept clicks with a child - magic for them and you! Children of 6 to 8 are (usually) a joy to be with - funny, receptive, and friendly,
weekly in school terms for one and a half hours (plus preparation)
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In various primary schools in Merton and across London, including All Saints' C of E Primary School 3-19 Hanover Road, Wimbledon London SW19 1EB
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