Multiply – Numeracy Support
Find out more about our Multiply adult numeracy programme.
Do you struggle with maths?
Numbers play a big part in our daily lives and many of us say we're not numbers people.
We don't feel confident with maths and lack basic numeracy skills. From paying bills, to shopping, planning a journey, or even cooking - we use numbers every single day without realising it.
Do you want to improve your maths skills?
Does needing to do maths at work or home worry you? You are not alone. 57% of England’s adults have low numeracy skills.
Adults across South Yorkshire who want to improve their numeracy skills can sign up for free courses and activities thanks to an £7.26million investment aimed at boosting opportunities for more people to progress and secure well paid jobs.
Here at City of Doncaster Council, we investing over £1.2 million in government funding, to provide free courses and support over the next 3 years to help you.
What is the Multiply programme
Launched this year across the UK, Multiply is a new government-funded programme to help adults over the age of 19 to improve their numeracy skills and increase confidence with numbers.
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority has been awarded the cash boost from the government’s £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund so they can offer tailored courses that meet the needs of the local community as part of the rollout of the government’s flagship Multiply programme.
Multiply can help you build your numeracy skills, so that you can:
- improve your job prospects and life chances
- help your children with schoolwork
- make you feel more confident managing your household budgets
- make more sense of facts in the media
- improve your numeracy skills specific to your line of work
Programmes are funded by Multiply provided by the Authority. Led by Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard, The Authority brings together the local authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, and the private sector through our Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
The Mayor, MCA and LEP have a shared purpose to create stronger, greener, fairer South Yorkshire. We work together to unlock the potential of our people, businesses and places and ensure they prosper.
Who can access this support?
Multiply will offer Doncaster residents aged 19 and above, who do not already have a GCSE grade C/4 or higher in Maths or equivalent and need to improve their numeracy, FREE flexible courses that fit around their lives.
Quiz time
Why not take a short quiz to help you understand where you might want to brush up on your numbers?
Take a quick numeracy quiz (riddle.com)
Where are the courses running?
There are a number of free courses running throughout Doncaster this year. Please keep visiting this page to find out where the courses are.
Here’s just some of the feedback we have received from previous courses:
“The Enterprise Course – great to meet other creatives, got me thinking more of how I want to turn my art into a business. Want to explore further and look at setting up on Etsy and even look at setting up art/nature workshops via a CIC”.
“I came to the course because I like making things and made lots of friendships. It’s got me out of the house, not only to make my cards but it has given me an interest. I am very grateful. I hope there will be more sessions to come!”
“Enjoyed learning new skills and very excited to learn more in the future. New friends, sharing ideas, making connections”.
Information for businesses
Employers, you could benefit from boosting your workforce’s skills by working with us to deliver functional skills qualifications or programmes tailored to the needs of your workforce.
We can help deliver instant real-world application of maths including:
- Budgeting Completing
- Timesheets
- Finance Claims
- Manipulating Data
- Building Confidence with Numbers
- Or whatever application suits your business need
Please get in touch with us to discuss how we can help you and your workforce by emailing multiply@doncaster.gov.uk
- Download (139KB - PDF)
What support have we offered to date?
We have given the following organisations at least £5,000 to deliver the Multiply programme in South Yorkshire during 2022/2023:
March 2023
| Organisation | Grant Funding Allocated |
| Edlington Victoria Academy | £5,750.00 |
| Bentley High Street Primary School | £5,000.00 |
| Denaby Main Academy | £10,000.00 |
| Castle Academy | £10,000.00 |
| Leger Education Trust – Askern Hub | £9,800.00 |
| Leger Education Trust – Mallard Hub | £7,800.00 |
| Leger Education Trust – Castle Hills Hub | £7,800.00 |
| Atlas Academy | £5,000.00 |
| Wadworth Primary School | £8,000.00 |
| Thorne Brooke Primary Academy | £8,000.00 |
| Bentley New Village Primary School | £8,000.00 |
| St Mary’s Catholic Primary School | £9,160.00 |
| Armthorpe Shaw Wood Academy | £7,430.00 |
| Marshland Primary Academy | £7,800.00 |
| Toll Bar Primary School | £5,000.00 |
| Doncaster College | £20,000.00 |
| Growing Together CIC | £11,376.00 |
| North Doncaster Development Trust | £9,240.00 |
| Mindful Activities Yorkshire | £11,172.00 |
| Inner Sunshine | £18,440.00 |
| S4All | £7,900.00 |
| Aspiring2 | £7,200.00 |
| Higher Rhythm | £12,939.94 |
| Food Aware CIC | £8,000.00 |
| DN Colleges Group | £20,000.00 |
National Numeracy - Getting on with Numbers
National Numeracy was established as an independent charity in 2012 to help raise low levels of numeracy among both adults and children and to promote the importance of everyday maths skills.
They challenge negative attitudes, influence public policy and offer practical ways to help adults and children improve their numeracy.
By working with communities, employers and teachers, they want to enable everyone across the UK to be confident and competent with using numbers and data, so they can make good decisions in their daily lives.
They are working towards their aim in two main ways:
- Raising awareness about poor numeracy levels which exist in the UK, how numeracy differs from mathematics, and promoting the recognition that everyone can improve through campaigns such as National Numeracy Day.
- Improving numeracy - more than 500,000 people have registered to check and improve their maths skills with the National Numeracy Challenge, giving them a space to assess and learn at their own pace.
Both these linked pages are filled with lots of information regarding numeracy but also lots of hints and tips, quizzes and resources for schools, parents and individuals to use for FREE! Please visit these links to find out more.
NUMBER CONFIDENCE WEEK - 6TH - 10TH NOVEMBER 2023
Number Confidence Week is:
- Is the only UK campaign focused on how adults feel about maths.
- Empowers adults to take the first step to boost their confidence with numbers.
- Brings together organisations, businesses and individuals and communities to make positive change happen.
- Is delivered in partnership with our Founding Supporter TP ICAP, and Lead Supporters Barclays LifeSkills, Capital One, Experian and the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.
It aims to:
- Empower adults in the UK to take action to build their confidence with numbers and feel in control at work and home.
- Promote confidence as the first step toward improving numeracy skills.
- Focus on those who are lowest in confidence, experiencing the greatest challenges due to the rising cost of living.
- Highlight the benefits that improved number confidence can offer.
- Showcase the commitment of National Numeracy, our partners and our ambassadors to improving numeracy in the UK
Why not try for FREE, this Number Confidence Week, and kickstart your number confidence and skills: nationalnumeracy.org.uk/numberconfidenceweek
Other useful links
Adult, Family and Community Learning - City of Doncaster Council - AFCL offer a variety of free courses to help you improve both your English and Mathematics skills.
Multiply - Skills for Life – further information regarding the Multiply programme.
Downloads & Resources
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