EEF launches three projects to help TAs boost numeracy skills

The three projects come as part of the EEF’s £5 million campaign to help schools make better use of TAs.

One trial will see teaching assistants lead online gaming sessions to test whether memory strategies can improve results.

A second will see teaching assistants work with small groups of year 2 pupils for post office themes tasks, using letters, parcels and house numbers to support maths skills and write postcards to tell their class teachers about their achievements.

The third project will see teaching assistants run one-to-one intervention at primary schools, which will consist of two 15 minute lessons per week for up to 30 weeks to support schools struggling with numeracy.

Sir Kevan Collins, the foundation's chief executive, said: “Teaching assistants play such an important role in our classrooms, especially in supporting disadvantaged pupils. But we know that they are often used in ways that don’t have a positive impact on young people’s attainment.

“The evidence we gain from evaluating these three teaching assistant-led trials will give schools a much clearer picture of how they can use their support staff to improve numeracy.”

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