Multiply empowers families to gain number confidence bilingually

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s Multiply team has worked with the National Numeracy charity to translate their Family Maths Toolkits into Welsh.

To mark NSPCC Number Day (Feb 7), Multiply officers handed out the activity packs at primary schools across Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Ynys Môn.

The packs will help children, parents, carers and educators across the four counties and beyond to gain numeracy confidence together - helping to create a lasting legacy from the Multiply project.

National Numeracy’s free Family Maths Toolkits are full of engaging ideas to help children love numbers.

The resources have been split into year-group packs, with each one containing 30 activities designed to help children and families explore everyday maths together. Each pack also contains an overview for teachers, outlining curriculum links and useful tips.

Primary schools can request paper copies of these booklets by contacting multiply@gllm.ac.uk

As well as handing out the translated toolkits, the Multiply team also gave out Numicon starter packs, containing tactile and sensory equipment such as blocks, pegs, cards and more to help children learn about numbers.

Schools that took part were:

Conwy:

• Ysgol Awel y Mynydd, Llandudno Junction
• Ysgol Pant y Rhedyn, Llanfairfechan

Denbighshire:

• Ysgol Twm o'r Nant, Denbigh
• Ysgol Bro Famau, Llanferres

Gwynedd:

• Ysgol Pen y Bryn, Bethesda
• Ysgol Penybryn, Tywyn

Ynys Môn

• Ysgol Gynradd Beaumaris
• Ysgol Gynradd Cemaes

Ed Barnes, headteacher at Ysgol Awel y Mynydd, said: “I believe these packs will encourage parents to understand the methods we use to teach maths at Awel y Mynydd. They will also be a useful tool in showing that bilingual education is accessible to all, especially with Cymraeg 2050 in mind.

“We currently see a big difference in the quality of resources that are available through the mediums of Welsh and English, therefore it’s good that children will have access to resources that are of the highest quality in both languages.”

Dafydd Davies, headteacher at Ysgol Twm O’r Nant, said: “The question we have a lot from parents is ‘How can we help?’ This will help them understand the numeracy and the words and it’s just incredibly helpful.

“We have a lot of families where maybe one parent can speak Welsh, so it's important that they understand the terminology and the language we use in school for maths as well, so it can be taught the same in the home as it is in school.”

Nicola Williams, Head of Ysgol Gynradd Cemaes, said: "The packs will be very valuable to the parents. It's very difficult to find Welsh language resources.

"We are a Welsh language school with many English-speaking families, but the parents are very supportive of the pupils being taught through the medium of Welsh, so these packs will benefit both the parents and the children. The children can use the school's Language comfortably within the home."

Bethan Wyn Jones, Head of Ysgol Biwmares, said: "It's extremely important as it enables children to get help at home without language barriers, therefore they can continue to develop their numeracy skills effectively.

"It's also an opportunity for children to learn to work effectively bilingually. Some parents are more comfortable in one language than the other, but bilingual resources give them the opportunity to support their children's development regardless of the language."

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai has led on the Multiply project in Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Ynys Môn since its inception in September 2023, helping adults improve their confidence with numbers in everyday life.

Multiply is due to end this month, with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai having surpassed its targets in terms of delivering confidence-boosting courses and empowering people to gain recognised qualifications in either mathematics or numeracy.

Sioned Williams, the Grŵp’s Multiply manager, said: “We're really proud to have worked on translating the National Numeracy charity's Family Maths resources into Welsh. More families and schools can now take advantage of these excellent resources in their first language.

“This will help to ensure that the positive impact of the Multiply project continues beyond the end of the project, opening up new and engaging opportunities for future generations.”

Building on the Multiply project, Potensial, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s lifelong learning brand, is engaging with local primary schools across North Wales as part of a family learning programme supporting parents to help their children with homework. The family learning programme is also offering courses including cookery and budgeting.

For more information, visit the Potensial page, or contact:

• Gwynedd and Anglesey: communitymenai@gllm.ac.uk 01248 370 125
• Conwy and Denbigh: enquiries.cdpotensial@gllm.ac.uk 01492 546 666