1. A Community Wide Approach to Promoting Early Numeracy
Docklands Early Numeracy Project
Dr. Josephine Bleach and Catriona Flood

2. Docklands Early Numeracy Project Objectives
To improve the educational outcomes for children in the Docklands in numeracy
To increase parental involvement in their children’s development, learning and education by providing a variety of on-going supports for parents of young children.
To support early childhood care and education workforce in implementing Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework and Síolta, The Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education
To ensure continuity and progression in Mathematical learning for children moving from home to early years settings to the local schools

3. Programme Activities
Working Group meeting (start and end of each term- teachers and ECCE practitioners come together and plan the programme, some ECCE Practitioners are also local parents)
Numeracy training for ECCE Practitioners- each term
Numeracy talks for Parents- each term
Early Numeracy Activity Week (Curriculum Priorities)- each term
Numeracy based activities in ECCE settings and infant classes in schools
Home based early numeracy activities go home with all children in Docklands (0-6 years old)
Consortium meetings (start and end of year) for ECCE Managers and School Principals
*(in each setting during Numeracy Week)
Working
Group
Meeting
Numeracy
talks for
Parents
Curriculum Priority
(Numeracy Week)
Curriculum Priority
Events *
NEYAI Síolta/Aistear Workshops for Practitioners (CPD)
Storytelling Sessions

4. Positional Language November 2011- Parent

5. Symbols in the Environment May 2014- Parents

6. Shape and Space March 2012- ECCE Practitioners

7. Money February 2014-Teachers

8. The numeracy concepts of children in the Docklands have improved

9. Summary
Number
Measures
Shape
Maths Skills
Mental Maths
Total Std
NEYAI Centres (6 months younger)
67%
79%
84%
83%
20%
73%
Non NEYAI Centres
86%
82%
90%
85%
40%
Delta
19% 3% 6% 2%
11%
Numeracy concepts of children in the Docklands appear to be on a par with South Dublin

10. Successes
Challenges
Relationships with stakeholders- trust and openness
Fine-tuning communication with ECCE services
Home and Setting element working well
Time- meetings, planning and adaptation
Working Group- Attendance, enthusiasm & creativity of Practitioners at ground level- ECCE & Primary
Collecting feedback from parents- facing these challenges by- feedback, flexibility, leading to improvement, strength
Working group nominee and Consortium support
No final answers – answers transform into new questions (Mc Niff 2010)
Awareness of Early Numeracy concepts raised
Adapting to the demands of the external evaluation

11. Conclusions/ Recommendations
Continuous process of community action research.
Genuine community involvement in decision process is crucial (through Working Group and Consortium Meetings).
Multiple methods for parents to engage with (workshops, activity cards, and Curriculum Priority events in schools and ECCE Settings).
Community wide focus on numeracy fosters multi-sectoral working, involvement of parents, curriculum planning and better numeracy outcomes for children.

12. Contact Details: Dr. Josephine Bleach Director Josephine. bleach@ncirl
Contact Details: Dr. Josephine Bleach Director Catriona Flood Project Coordinator