For many parents, helping their child with homework can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to maths. A free Multiply course offered to parents at an Essex school helped them overcome this very hurdle.
Multiply in Essex aims to empower Essex residents aged 19 and over with essential number skills to improve their personal and professional lives. Multiply Family Learning courses are specifically designed to help with the challenges parents face when trying to support their children with maths homework. Multiply is delivered through a network of providers and managed by Essex County Council.
When Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Primary School sought to improve parents’ involvement in their children’s learning, it found help through Multiply. The school worked with TiEGr, a Multiply partner, to develop a program for parents. A bespoke course called ‘Multiply Maths’ was designed to give parents the tools and strategies they needed to support their children's mathematical development at home.
The course was scheduled once a month during lunchtime so that parents could attend with minimum disruption to their family routines. The sessions were delivered in a classroom, providing a relaxed environment for learning and interaction.
The sessions covered various mathematical concepts and strategies relevant to the children aged four to seven-years-old. Parents were taught to use practical tools like Numicon and string beads that could be easily integrated into home learning. They were also given resources like 100 square, number lines and activities to use at home.
Parents reported feeling more comfortable and confident, and indicated a clear improvement in their understanding of mathematical strategies. Several parents went on to purchase resources introduced in the first session demonstrating a tangible application of learning at home. The school now plans to include Multiply sessions for parents of Key Stage 2 pupils, to cater to a wider range of parental needs and interests.
Gemma Nicholson, Deputy Head Teacher, Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Primary School said, “It was great to be able to offer the parents an opportunity to develop their own maths skills, as well as giving them the knowledge to be able to support their pupils at home with their maths learning.
Feedback from parents was good, and it was nice to see many returning for all sessions. The trainers were always well organised, prepared and punctual. We would be interested in running future sessions if we could get the uptake from parents again.”
