Numicon

What is Early Number with Numicon?
Early Number with Numicon is a 14-week programme designed to support childminders and practitioners in the private, voluntary, and independent early years settings to deliver early maths sessions to 3–4 year old children. Developed by Oxford University Press (OUP), it aims to prepare practitioners to introduce children to the fundamentals of numbers using Numicon manipulatives. The EEF Improving Mathematics in Early Years and KS1 guidance report highlights research evidence that suggests using manipulatives and representations can be particularly effective in teaching mathematics. Using resources such as Numicon is proven to develop maths talk and provide children with opportunities to explore maths concepts at an early age.

The Early Number with Numicon programme provides training for nursery practitioners and childminders to deliver weekly small group sessions using Numicon manipulatives and guidance on how to promote maths in the wider environment. Each session lasts approximately 10-15 minutes with the aim of:
• Helping children to develop an understanding of early number: counting, labelling, identifying patterns, the language of comparison (more/less) and the numbers to 5
• Increasing children’s enjoyment of and motivation towards maths


The programme will run from September 2024 to January 2025. Training includes two face-to-face sessions and two twilight online sessions delivered by experienced Numicon trainers. All of the activities to be implemented with children will be clearly demonstrated step by step so that practitioners will know exactly how to deliver the sessions and will have opportunities to practice and ask questions.

More information

Fill out an expression of interest

The deadline for expression of interest is 31 July 2024. Please note that settings will be selected on a first come, first serve basis.