The Horners have supported Number Champions since 2018 to help children in state primary schools who had fallen behind in maths, through providing imaginative one-to-one support from trained volunteers.
Numeracy, like literacy, is a vital skill for life, and children who do not ‘get maths’ at the start of their schooling risk never catching up. Personal support over a year from a sympathetic adult can help a child engage in the subject and gain confidence in their own ability, and – as they have seen in comments from teachers – can lead to notably improved involvement in class.
In the past school year they have partnered with 29 schools across 12 London boroughs, and have had about 100 volunteers supporting over 250 children. Teachers’ evaluations show a recognisable improvement in children’s confidence and skills in maths over the year.
About 27% of London primary school children receive ‘Pupil Premium’ funding in recognition that they are from disadvantaged backgrounds. For children (selected by teachers as being most in need of support) the figure is over 50%, illustrating that lack of numeracy is disproportionally a barrier for disadvantaged children.
Numbers Champions continue to grow organically, aiming to build a presence first across London and then wider afield, so that they can help progressively more children to succeed.
They are grateful to the Horners Charity for supporting Number Champions in its very early days and for our continued support and encouragement. They raise a quarter of their funds from schools and the rest from donors such as us. And if any individual Horner is interested in volunteering with them, they would be delighted to hear from him/her – as well as being important for the child, volunteering is fun!
They can be contacted at: