#325 Improving Maths as an Early Years Implementation Lead – Happy Tots Pre-School

The benefits of the EYIL role have been great as has provided the setting with lovely resources which have supported the children s mathematical development and has supported us to carry out interventions with children who need some extra support.

Successes of the project such as improvements in staff:

• Knowledge – staff are more confident after training to support maths development as they have grown in confidence and have a more in-depth knowledge.
• Staff now will now bring maths into conversations with children in all areas of learning more often.

Successes of the project such as improvements in children’s numeracy:

• Numeracy skills and development- all children have been supported with numeracy, but certain children are having targeted short interventions.
• Self-confidence interacting with numeracy/literacy resources.
• More numeracy outside
• Lots more mathematical language around the setting.
• Children have a better understanding of numeracy in the setting.
• The setting is more mathematically aware of numeracy language and using it all the time in the setting.

What people liked about the project:

• The resources – the children loved the new resources.
• The staff liked the training specific to the resources.
• That the project targeted interventions which supported the children who needed it.

Other improvements we have observed:

• Improvements in staff confidence levels with their own numeracy compared to a starting baseline and after training and after the interventions.
• Improvements in staff numeracy/literacy knowledge/levels.
• Staff now know a greater range of strategies to support children’s numeracy/literacy development.
• Tracking data shows improvements in children’s early literacy/numeracy skills.
• Children are heard to be using literacy/numeracy language more regularly in setting when working with the children and observing them in general play.
• Families have liked the resources sent home and we have plans to make a maths lending library.

The evidence of the impact has been collated from:

• Staff surveys of children.
• In-setting observations.
• Peer observations.
• Children’s development tracking documents.
• Feedback from parents.

• Identified the needs of the current cohort.
• Selecting appropriate interventions/activities by discussing with staff and parents.
• Planning when, where & who would deliver interventions/activities.
• Outlined how we would monitor success.
• Implementing new activities with the children, buying in resources, arranging staff training, setting up interventions, looked at data and then planning more targeted support.
• Monitoring the project for success, e.g., by talking to staff and staff surveys, reviewing children’s tracking data, issuing surveys etc.

• Ensure additional time is available to be spent in-setting, observing the children and working with staff, to fully implement the key elements of the project.
• Would have involved the parents more so they could have come in and completed small bite size sessions to see what we do with the interventions.

Cost to release an EY practitioner for ½ a day per week, for 1 year to attend training, write an action plan, undertake relevant duties and monitor progress. £2,000 to purchase resources or in-setting training for staff.

Access to a laptop and internet connection to attend virtual training & network meetings.