NPTC Group of Colleges has been celebrating the transformative impact of its Multiply Maths & Numeracy programme. Funded by the UK Government, the initiative offers free courses to help adults and families enhance their numeracy skills, which are vital for everyday life and career progression.
Numeracy and maths skills are essential in all aspects of life. They unlock job opportunities, help learners remain in control of their finances, and enable them to assist their children with homework or prepare to re-enter education or progress in their careers.
The Multiply programme comprises three different courses:
- Numeracy Matters: Suitable for employers who want numeracy training for their employees.
- Numeracy at Home: Suitable for children and families who want to improve their basic arithmetic and everyday maths skills.
- Numeracy for Success: Suitable for those wishing to re-enter education or upskill.
The courses, which have been running across Neath Port Talbot and Powys, are offered to anyone aged 19 and over who doesn’t currently hold a Maths GCSE. The free courses help build confidence with numbers and allow learners to gain a recognised qualification.
We spoke to Multiply Lecturer at Afan College, Jo Sinclair, who told us about a Numeracy at Home class she has been running on Thursdays between 5 pm and 7 pm for learners who want to develop basic skills for life in a nurturing, supportive, and friendly environment.
“The students have been learning to weigh and measure ingredients, meal planning, budgeting, and combining their new and developing skills to cook and prepare Christmas meals and desserts.
Here they are pictured enjoying the results of their learning and hard work together with a full Christmas celebratory meal they planned, prepared, and cooked as a team for each other.
Jo added: “They are a wonderful group who are continually developing their numeracy skills for life and loving their learning experience. I am thoroughly enjoying teaching on the programme and seeing the achievements of the students. They learn a huge variety of skills for life and enjoy the range of academic and social experiences that this type of course provides. New learners are always welcome.”
Another Multiply student, Louise Forsyth, has secured work as a Lunchtime Supervisor at Central Junior School in Port Talbot. She attributes her success in part to increased confidence as a result of completing a Multiply course with NPTC Group of Colleges, which took place at Tywyn Primary School, where her children go to school. The course was set up through a partnership between NPTC Group of Colleges and the school’s Headteacher, Mrs McHugh, who immediately saw the benefit of the course for parents of pupils at the school and the pupils themselves, as the course would equip parents with the numeracy skills needed to confidently help their children with maths and numeracy homework.
She, along with the team at NPTC Group of Colleges, arranged for a class to take place at the school from 1 pm to 3 pm each Thursday, meaning learners like Louise would be able to attend the class and then collect their children from school straight after. Louise explained that it was this factor that initially attracted her to the course, as it is so difficult for parents to attend courses when they have to do the school run. As a full-time mum for the last nine years, she hadn’t been able to get back into education until the opportunity arose through the Multiply programme.
Louise was also enrolled in the Numeracy at Home course, which she attended from October 2023 to July 2024. As well as learning valuable numeracy skills, Louise says she developed her confidence and learned teamwork skills, which led her to apply for her current position at the school. Louise is now putting her newfound skills to the test daily. She told us that she would never have been able to pluck up the confidence to apply for this post had it not been for the Multiply course. Since completing the course, Louise has not only secured employment but has also registered with a teaching agency where she has completed further training courses around Autism Awareness, Epilepsy Awareness, and Safeguarding, with the aim of progressing into a learning support role in the near future.
Louise’s Multiply Tutor, Dawn Mather Nicholson, said: “All my Multiply learners have been rewarded with certificates for their hard work and dedication to the courses. They have all given 100%. Some learners have now progressed onto the next level of study, and others, like Louise, have been able to secure employment after completing the course. I am so proud of each and every one of them.”
Our Numeracy at Home programme comprises Taster, Beginner, and Improver courses designed to support parents and guardians in improving their numeracy skills to ensure they can support school-age children with their numeracy skills development. The courses are intended for learners operating from Entry Level to Level 1.
Multiply Course Co-ordinator at NPTC Group of Colleges, Sophie Picton, added: “It’s great to see learners growing in confidence and learning new skills applicable to real life through their participation in NPTC Group of Colleges’ Multiply, Numeracy at Home programme. Alongside the impressive commitment to improving their skills demonstrated by our learners, these achievements are down to the dedication of delivery staff who have worked diligently to find fun and innovative ways to make the numeracy curriculum accessible. This, in combination with the generosity of our local partners, such as Mrs McHugh at Tywyn Primary School, who has supported the promotion of courses and provided a convenient space for parents to learn, has ensured the continued success of the programme. We would like to take the opportunity to thank all our partners who have supported us in this way.”
Feeling inspired to jump back into learning? Click the button below to find out more about our Multiply Programme in Neath Port Talbot.
Multiply Maths & Numeracy Courses
Feature Pic Caption: Louise Forsyth pictured with her Multiply completion certificate along with her Multiply Tutor, Dawn Mather Nicholson, Tywyn Primary School Headteacher, Mrs. S. McHugh, and Neath Port Talbot Mayor, Councillor Matthew Crowley.
