Independent charity National Numeracy has revealed that 43% of teachers entering the profession lack either confidence or skills, or both, when it comes to maths.
The new data coincides with an announcement by Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson of a plan to encourage stronger lifelong numeracy by boosting early intervention and “real world” maths teaching at primary school.
National Numeracy has revealed that of the 11,000 trainee teachers using the charity’s online skills and confidence building tool, the National Numeracy Challenge, 43% are either low in maths skill, low in maths confidence or both.
In addition, 31% of those trainee teachers gave a negative word - such as nervous, anxious, worried, confused and panic - when asked to describe how they feel about maths.
