Skip to main content

News

Drawing competition returns with over £6,000 worth of prizes to be won for schools and children

11 Mar 2024

National Numeracy is excited to invite children across the UK to get creative and take part in the National Numeracy Day Number Heroes competition.

Six prize bundles for schools or youth groups are up for grabs, each worth £1,000, as well as prizes for six winning children and 18 runners-up.

It’s free to enter, and there is no fundraising requirement – so everyone can get involved.

And, for the first time this year, we will also be offering the competition resources in Welsh!

Sign up to take part

Image of Bobby Seagull with text saying "Number Heroes Competition back for National Numeracy Day 2024!"

Win £1,000 worth of prizes for your school or youth group!

Children from youth groups, nurseries, primary and secondary schools, and homeschoolers can all take part, and win one of six £50 gift tokens for themselves, as well as an amazing prize pack worth over £1,000 for the school or setting of their choice. There will also be three runners-up in each category, who will win a £20 gift voucher each.

The categories for entry are:

  • Early Years Foundation Stage:​ Open to all children aged 3-5
  • Primary A:​ England/Wales Y1, Y2​ | Ireland Y2, Y3​ | Scotland P2, P3
  • Primary B:​ England/Wales Y3, Y4​ | Ireland Y4, Y5​ | Scotland P4, P5
  • Primary C:​ England/Wales Y5, Y6​ | Ireland Y6, Y7​ | Scotland P6, P7
  • Secondary A:​ England/Wales Y7, Y8​ | Ireland Y8, Y9​ | Scotland S1, S2
  • SEND/EHCP: Open to all children and young people in receipt of SEN support or an EHCP (education, health and care plan). All children are welcome to enter their relevant age category, but those in receipt of SEN support or an EHCP can instead choose to enter this category. The prize pack for the SEND/EHCP category is suitable for a variety of ages and levels, and includes a voucher for the recipient to use on resources of their choice.
One of the 2023 winners, Chloe, with her certificate

Each prize pack has everything you need to get your community feeling like a Number Hero – with games, books, resources and vouchers.

The prize packs are provided by National Numeracy, KPMG, Numberblocks, Numbots, Sweet Cherry Publishing, Times Table Rock Stars and White Rose Education.

How can you enter?

We want to help children feel good about numbers, by encouraging them to imagine all the weird and wonderful ways they might use maths when they grow up!

To enter the competition, children need to create a picture of how they will use numbers in their dream job or hobby. Maybe they want a cool career as a sculptor, a stunt performer, or a surgeon? Or would they rather dance or deep-sea dive?

Whatever their dream, we want to see and hear how it uses numbers!

One of the winning drawings from 2023

Winners are chosen by our celebrity ambassador

Our celebrity ambassador Bobby Seagull, will select the winners based on which entries are the most imaginative, show great effort, and include the most creative uses for numbers.

“From measuring a free kick at football to measuring medicines as a doctor, every hobby or career children can imagine has numbers in it,” said Bobby. “Our kids can all be Number Heroes, and I can’t wait to see what fantastic ideas they come up with for our National Numeracy Day competition!”

Free sign up to take part

Children can take part at home, or through their nursery, school, youth group or organisation. The competition is open to children aged between 3 and 13, and children and young people in receipt of SEN support or an EHCP (education, health and care plan) in the UK only.

The closing date for sending in your pictures is midnight on Friday 31 May 2024. We can’t wait to see your entries!

Sign up now to take part in the competition. You will also get a packed digital toolkit full of free, fun activities and resources to get us all feeling better about numbers.

One of the 2023 winners, James, with his certificate

And adults and organisations can take part in National Numeracy Day too!

With bundles of free resources for adults too, there’s something for everyone this National Numeracy Day.

Individuals, colleges, workplaces, organisations or community groups can also sign up to receive a digital toolkit, bursting with ideas and resources to help you join in on 22 May.

National Numeracy Day is run by independent charity National Numeracy with Founding Supporter KPMG and a group of organisations who are dedicated to improving the nation’s numeracy confidence and skills.

Terms and conditions

By taking part in the Number Heroes competition, you agree to all of the following Terms and Conditions:

  1. The competition is open to children aged between 3 and 13, and children and young people in receipt of SEN support or an EHCP (education, health and care plan) in the UK only. 
  2. Children can take part at home or through their nursery, school, community/youth group or organisation. 
  3. Entries should be submitted by an adult on behalf of the entrant via our online entry form.
  4. The first name, last name initial, and age of the participant must be visible on each entry so that we can identify the winning child (there is a dedicated space for this on the Number Heroes worksheet). 
  5. Only one entry can be submitted for each child. If entrants submit more than one entry, we will judge the first entry received and disregard the others.
  6. Entries must be submitted into the correct category. 
    The categories for entry are: 
    Early Years Foundation Stage: Open to all children aged 3-5 
    Primary A: England/Wales Y1, Y2 | Ireland Y2, Y3 | Scotland P2, P3 
    Primary B: England/Wales Y3, Y4 | Ireland Y4, Y5 | Scotland P4, P5 
    Primary C: England/Wales Y5, Y6 | Ireland Y6, Y7 | Scotland P6, P7 
    Secondary A: England/Wales Y7, Y8 | Ireland Y8, Y9 | Scotland S1, S2 
    SEND/EHCP: Open to all children and young people in receipt of SEN support or an EHCP (education, health and care plan). All children are welcome to enter their relevant age category, but those in receipt of SEN support or an EHCP can instead choose to enter this category. The prize pack for the SEND/EHCP category is suitable for a variety of ages and levels, and includes a voucher for the recipient to use on resources of their choice.
  7. Entries for up to 100 children in the same category can be submitted at the same time, via the online entry form.
  8. Entries need to include clear and legible images of the child's picture which can be completed on a printed-out Number Heroes worksheet or your own paper.
  9. The entry must be the entrant's own original work and not defame nor breach any copyright or contain anything that could be deemed offensive.
  10. By submitting your entry/entries you agree to allow National Numeracy to use them to promote the competition and National Numeracy Day, online and in media. This may display their first name, last initial and age. If you submit a winning entry or runner-up we will also post the name of the school/organisation on our website and social media.
  11. One winner and three runners up for each category will be selected by National Numeracy staff and our celebrity ambassador Bobby Seagull. This decision is final and non-negotiable.
  12. Closing date is 23:59 31 May 2024.
  13. The adults who submitted a winning child’s entry will be contacted on or before 25 June 2024 using the contact details shared with us through the entry form. If they do not respond within 7 days National Numeracy reserves the right to choose a new winner on the 8th day.
  14. The adult submitting on behalf of the entrant assumes responsibility for receiving the prize worth £50 on behalf of the entrant and also for nominating a nursery, school, community/youth group or organisation to receive the prize pack worth over £1000.  
  15. The nominated organisation will be contacted directly by National Numeracy using the contact details submitted for them at the time of entry.
  16. Runners-up will be contacted on or before 3 July 2024.
  17. This competition is not open to any National Numeracy employees, Bobby Seagull or their children. 
  18. Any data collected as part of this competition will only be used for the purposes of running the competition or to gather information on participation in the competition in an optional follow-up survey. 
  19. We will ask for an address in order for National Numeracy to fulfil the prize. This data will not be used for any purpose other than fulfilment.
  20. National Numeracy will not enter into any correspondence to change their decision on prize winners.
  21. Prizes are subject to availability and no cash alternative for any prizes will be offered.

For full details of our Privacy Policy, please click here.