24 Mar ACL Essex shines a light on numeracy skills on World Maths Day
ACL Essex has supported hundreds of learners over the past 12 months to develop their numeracy skills. On World Maths Day (26 March) the adult education provider is shining a light on their successes and the courses on offer.
Over the past year literally hundreds of adults have developed their numeracy skills at ACL Essex. Many have taken part in courses, such as Multiply, or Essex Year of Numbers, to help boost their knowledge and gain confidence in maths.
Others have stepped into a classroom or headed online to take Level 1 Functional Skills and Level 2 Maths qualifications to help them develop their career.
Councillor Tony Ball, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, said: “Confidence with numbers is so important. We use maths every day, whether shopping or at work. ACL Essex’s courses help everyday numeracy, but they also unlock career potential. Over the past 12 months many learners have successfully completed a Functional Skills or a GCSE Maths course. This has enabled them to head on to further education or step into a new career pathway.”
Claire Fletcher, 53, Clacton, dreams of becoming a midwife. She was born partially deaf, at school her special education needs were not supported, so she headed back to the classroom.
Claire says: “I’ve always struggled with Maths. My goal is to study at university to become a midwife and to do that I need a Level 2 qualification in Maths. I missed out on years of Maths classes but my tutor at ACL Clacton is amazing.”
She continued: “I was able to pass my Level 1 Functional Skills in Maths, which, for me personally, is a massive achievement. I was really chuffed with myself for that. I’m 53 and I’d never passed a Maths exam in my life, and I thought I never would, but I did and it’s brilliant. I’m now studying for my Level 2 qualification in Maths.”
ACL Essex offers Functional Skills qualifications in Maths. The course is ideal for learners who need to improve their numeracy skills before starting a GCSE. Functional Skills gives learners a new found confidence in maths.
The learning provider also offers GCSE Foundation level (up to grade 5) and Higher level (5-9) Maths at its centres across the county. It also offers an online fast track Maths GCSE for learners looking to gain the qualification in just two terms.
Alongside these courses ACL runs eight-week-long Maths courses to help adults recap on their number skills before studying a Maths GCSE. The course is run online – mornings and evenings – and aims to build confidence, refresh skills and prepare for study in September.
