6-year-olds can count on Edge Hill

Results published this week shows that children taking part in the second term of Numbers Count across England have made an average of 15 months' progress over a three month period with just 20 hours tuition.

This means the children are progressing at five times the nationally expected rate.

Edge Hill University in partnership with Lancashire County Council has developed Numbers Count for the national Every Child Counts programme and is training 210 teachers across the country to give Numbers Count support to 6 year-old-children who struggle with mathematics.

Every Child Counts is a national partnership between the Department for Children Schools and Families, the National Strategies, the Every Child A Chance Trust, and Edge Hill University. It aims to provide support for Year 2 children who struggle with mathematics. Numbers Count is the intervention programme that has been developed by Edge Hill University for teachers to use when working with children.

Around 40 per cent of pupils on Numbers Count are on free school meals compared to less than 20 per cent nationally.

Edge Hill University runs nationwide training for primary school teachers for the Every Child Counts programme. The training is delivered in partnership with Lancashire County Council. By 2010-11 it will lead to over 30,000 six and seven year old children who are struggling with mathematics being given one to one support by 1,600 specially trained teachers.

Nick Dowrick, Head of Every Child Counts Programmes said: "I'm delighted that teachers in their second term have been able to help children to make even more progress than in the very successful first term - an average of 15 months progress in 3 months, or 5 times the expected rate of progress.

"The first term's children have continued to make good progress in the spring term, after they had completed Numbers Count. This shows that Numbers Count has an ongoing impact on their ability to learn mathematics.

"These are excellent results which show we are on the right track with Numbers Count. Edge Hill University developed it as a new programme in September 2008 in response to the recommendations of the Williams Review, and we are continuing to work with Numbers Count Teachers and schools to develop it and make it even more effective."

For further information or to download the full report go to www.edgehill.ac.uk/ecc.