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Numeracy Resources

Numeracy Skills are important to almost every job and career choice, but a number of roles require either specialist skills or apply additional testing prior to achieving a professional qualification.

Maths for Everyone: These resources are for everyone to view and use. They have been split into two sections. Getting Started includes basic numeracy resources at KS3 and GCSE levels, which are a good starting point for many students. Higher Level helps you move on to "Adult" mathematics and includes resources from the Open University.

Teaching: To gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) - you are required to pass the QTS Skills tests. One of these tests is Numeracy and involves a wide range of maths skills.

Nurses: The UK Nursing & Midwifery Council have set minimum standards in numeracy. These standards are tested either pre-entry or during your course.

Other areas, that require specific numeracy skills, include: Sport, Policing, Business Management and Forestry. It is recommended that you begin with some of the generic Maths for Everyone resources and speak to your course tutors regarding any prescribed numeracy skills areas.

If you have any doubts about your Maths / Numeracy Skills - please have a look around and do not be afraid to talk to your Personal Academic Tutor about it.

  • Maths for Everyone - Getting Started

    BBC Bitesize Maths

    The following resources, from the BBC Bitesize series, provide some fantastic tutorials, exercises and tests to help you improve your basic maths and numeracy skills.

    Do NOT be concerned that these resources are designed for KS3 and GCSE - they are definitely worth a visit and will be the best starting point for some students.

    BBC Bitesize Maths (KS3)

    External Link: BBC Bitesize Maths (KS3)

    These tutorials, activities and tests include:

    • Whole numbers
    • Negative numbers
    • Multiplication and division
    • Order of operation
    • Fractions
    • Decimals
    • Percentages
    • Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
    • Ratio
    • Approximation
    • Powers and roots

    BBC Bitesize Maths (GCSE)

    External Link: BBC Bitesize Maths (GCSE)

    These tutorials, activities and tests include:

    • Number
      • Negative numbers
      • Long multiplication and division
      • Order of operation
      • Rounding and estimating
    • Fractions, decimal and ratios
      • Fraction basics
      • Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division - Foundation
      • Multiplication and division of mixed numbers - Higher
      • Decimals
      • Percentages
      • Percentages - Higher
      • Converting fractions, decimals and percentages
      • Ratios
    • Factors, powers and roots
      • Factors and multiples
      • Prime factors - Foundation
      • Prime factors - Higher
      • Powers and roots - Foundation
      • Powers and roots - Higher
      • Surds - Higher

    Maths Everywhere

    Contextualising maths problems to everyday life encourages the development of transferable numeracy skills. Easy to understand and work through.

    External link: Maths Everywhere

  • Maths for Everyone - Higher Level

    BBC Skillswise (Maths for Adults)

    External Link: BBC Skillswise

    Practical, common-sense maths for adults.

    • Numbers
    • Calculation
    • Percentage & Fractions
    • Measuring
    • Shapes
    • Graphs

    Maths Help (Open University)

    External Link: Maths Help (Open University)

    Module 1: Numbers, units and arithmetic
    Module 2: Rounding and estimation
    Module 3: Ratio, proportion and percentages
    Module 4: Squares, roots and powers
    Module 5: Diagrams, charts and graphs
    Module 6: Language, notation and formulas
    Module 7: Geometry
    Module 8: Using a scientific calculator

    Math Tutor (Arithmetic)

    Ideal for learning core arithmetical skills from scratch or refreshing skills that may not have been used for some time, the Arithmetic section covers important foundation topics such as fractions, decimals, percentages and ratios.

    Each section offers Video Tutorials | Text Tutorials | Tests | Exercises

  • Maths for Teachers

    Before you start your teacher training programme, you need to have passed the Professional Skills tests.

    The great news is, since February 2018 you have unlimited attempts to take the test and 80% of candidates pass both their literacy and numeracy tests first time.

    Please see the Professional Skills Tests page, on the University of Cumbria website, for more information about registering for and booking a Professional Skills Test.

    Practice Materials

    Practising the tests will give you a clear indication of the standard required to pass the Numeracy and Literacy skills tests.

    Practice materials/tests are now available directly from the Department for Education website. Please see the Study Resources section of the Professional Skills Tests page on the University website.

  • Maths for Nurses

    The Standardised Numeracy Assessment Process (SN@P) was initiated in April 2010 as a means of standardising the approach healthcare students and education facilitators had when dealing with the assessment of numeracy.

    In addition, to SN@P, we have provided links to other resources that you might find useful.

    SN@P

    SN@P is designed to check the numeracy, or mathematics, skills of people who work or plan to work in the health service.

    You are expected to Register at SN@P and to then login whenever you visit. This allows you to access the complete resource.

    Prior to creating an account - you can have a go at the Practiceand/or Clinical test resources in order to get a feel for the maths involved.

    External link: SN@P

    BBC Skillswise (Nursing and Care)

    Includes a range of resources including Learning Games, factsheets and quizzes.

    External link: BBC Skillswise (Nursing and Care)

    Nursing Numeracy (NHS Scotland)

    This is an interactive Nurses Numeracy Assessment tool.

    Note: You may need to "right-click" on the screen to Zoom In (so you can clearly see the text in the tool) and then Zoom Out to answer the questions.

    External link: Nursing Numeracy

    Understanding the Question

    Excellent video from Middlesex University (via YouTube) about how to interpret the numeracy question being asked.

    External link: Understanding the Question

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