At St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School, we believe that numeracy is at the heart of learning and essential for understanding the world around us. Led by our Learning Lead for Numeracy, Mrs Gordon, our whole-school approach ensures that numeracy is developed not only within mathematics lessons but across all subject areas.
Numeracy is much more than working with numbers — it is the ability to apply mathematical understanding in everyday life. It involves reasoning, problem-solving, interpreting data, and thinking logically. Strong numeracy skills help students make informed decisions, spot patterns, and understand information presented in charts, graphs, and tables. At St Cuthbert’s, we encourage students to see numeracy as a vital life skill that supports success in all subjects and beyond the classroom.
Numeracy development is a shared responsibility across the curriculum. Every department identifies opportunities to reinforce mathematical thinking within their subject area — for example:
To ensure all students receive the right level of challenge and support, Year 7 and Year 10 students complete Baseline and Fluency Assessments at the start of the academic year. These assessments identify strengths and areas for improvement, allowing teachers to tailor support and intervention where needed.
Students enhance their numeracy through Sparx Maths, our interactive online learning platform. Sparx provides personalised, adaptive practice that matches each student’s ability level, helping to build fluency in key areas such as multiplication, division, fractions, and percentages.
The platform includes:
This blend of technology and tailored support helps students build accuracy, fluency, and confidence with numbers — skills that benefit them in all areas of study and everyday life.
Numeracy at St Cuthbert’s extends beyond the students. Staff are supported through INSET training sessions focused on embedding numeracy in teaching practice across all subjects. Teachers are also encouraged to complete the National Numeracy Challenge, gaining a certificate that celebrates their ongoing professional development.
Our Numeracy Lead works collaboratively with departments to ensure a consistent and coordinated approach to teaching numeracy. By sharing best practice and embedding numeracy within subject planning, we create a school-wide culture where mathematical thinking is valued and applied meaningfully.
We use the National Numeracy website and its high-quality resources to guide our work. This partnership has helped us map out numeracy provision across the whole school and strengthen our strategy for continuous improvement.
