Numeracy skills 'weak' in over half of Welsh schools

The NAHT Cymru union has responded to concerns from education watchdog Estyn over the maths skills of Welsh pupils.

Acting director Dr Christopher Howard accuses the Welsh Government of trying to "shift the blame" for poor performance onto schools.

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NUT Cymru says schools "have been inundated with policy changes by the Welsh Government" in recent years.

Education Minister Huw Lewis has demanded that schools here show greater urgency to improve standards of numeracy, in line with Welsh Government agenda.

The Welsh Government introduced the National Literacy and Numeracy Framework in 2012, which is designed to get both key areas being taught in other subjects, across the curriculum.

Annual numeracy tests for pupils aged 7 to 14 began in May 2013.

Estyn praised the initiatives, for raising expectations, and says time spent training has increased.

However, the education watchdog says numeracy is still not seen as a priority in a minority of schools - and only half have developed appropriate plans for improving pupils’ numeracy skills across the curriculum.

Huw Lewis said: "we do need to make sure every school pays much more than lip service to these initiatives."

The Education Minister has announced a new national conference for heads of maths at Welsh schools, on 28 January next year, to share best practice and hear from international experts.

Pupils' skills:

• The majority of pupils in the survey have an appropriate understanding of times-tables, the four rules of number, place value and fractions
• However, pupils’ numerical reasoning skills are not strong enough
• Too many pupils lack confidence with division and percentages, impeding their ability to interpret results and solve problems

Schools' provision:

• Only around half of schools have developed suitable provision for numeracy, although this is an increase on previously
• Numeracy is still not a high priority in a minority of the schools inspected
• Teachers often lack sufficient mathematical subject knowledge to plan and deliver effective lessons
• In a majority of schools visited, teachers are uncertain of what the term ‘numerical reasoning’ means and how it translates into classroom activities
• In around half of schools planning is still too superficial and does not raise standards
• The quality of marking numeracy work is not good enough - and the monitoring of numeracy skills remains underdeveloped

Pupils' numeracy skills are still weak in more than half of primary and secondary schools in Wales inspected by Estyn in the last year.

The education watchdog has released the second in a series of three reports on key mathematics skills among 7 to 14-year-old children, and the quality of their teaching.

Estyn has found some pupils struggling with skills like division and percentages - as only around half of schools have suitable provision for numeracy.

The Welsh Government has made it a priority in recent years - with annual testing and the National Literacy and Numeracy Framework designed to get key maths skills into other lessons across the curriculum.