Numeracy Project: Nechells EAZ in Partnership With Aston University

During January and February 2011, students from Aston University have worked with over 220 Year 4 pupils in all the Nechells Plus schools on a specially designed numeracy project. The university students had received training from Ian Teffer, Numeracy Consultant and were offered support from the university volunteering activities team. The weekly sessions offered pupils in the schools an opportunity to work creatively on a variety of numeracy topics, led by the university students.
The projects culminated with a Pirate Challenge Event at the Aston University Campus, where pupils had the opportunity to work in teams, and use the skills they had learnt from the university students to solve a variety of numerical challenges.
At the end of the day prizes where awarded to the teams with the highest score, to teams that had worked well together and for the best dressed pirates!

Here are some of the things that were said about the project:

Our pupils said:

"It was fun, I learnt how to use North, South, East and West and how to put the coins in order"

"I learnt to be accurate with a ruler and how to use fractions"

"I learnt how to build a cuboid and how to work together"

"I learnt how to use a calculator to solve a problem"

"I learnt that it's not easy being a pirate and I can have fun in Maths"

"i've learnt that it's fun to go to university"

The university students said:

"I'm very impressed with the quality of the event - the planning was well organised and any difficulties were professionally dealt with. The decoration is also very good and the children seemed to have a lot of fun"

"The numeracy project was a great success from start to finish I would definitely recommend that the project keep running on a yearly basis"

"The Pirate day was excellent I would definitely volunteer to do this again"

School staff said:
"I really enjoyed the Pirate Challenge and the children clearly found it good fun, they loved the competition and earning coins. It made doing maths very fun. No chance for children to be bored"

"A really good afternoon of "round robbing" activities for our mixed ability groups"

"The Numeracy challenges were engaging, challenging and the children enjoyed it"

"Brilliant numeracy activities for children and delivery was excellent, students were approachable and very helpful"

The Numeracy Project was a big success in supporting children to learn new skills and has extended their experiences and offered an opportunity to work with university students and spend time in a university environment.

Images from the Day  [Video Clip]