2025 in numbers
- 1,453,686 actions to improve numeracy taken as a result of our 2025 campaigns
- 1,606,556 interactions online
- 79,079 children participated in our programmes
- 32,941 adults participated in our programmes
- 1,100 Numeracy Champions trained
- 107 volunteers trained
- 5,820 workshop attendees
- 587 media mentions, with 97m print and broadcast reach and 772m online readership
Implementing the Three Big Changes
In 2025 we continued to implement the Three Big Changes as set out in our 2025-2028 strategy: Numeracy for equality, Numeracy for success and Numeracy for community.
We launched our Numeracy for Gender Equality recommendations at an event hosted by Capital One, bringing national attention to the barriers women face with number confidence at work.
Leaders from business and public services discussed how recruitment language and workplace culture reinforce stereotypes and employers were urged to drive cultural change, adopt inclusive practices and support ongoing skills development.
We also strengthened our policy influence and in March, our Chief Executive, Sam Sims, gave evidence to the Lords Select Committee on maths education, alongside National Numeracy Ambassador Bobby Seagull, with their evidence focusing on adult numeracy and Functional Skills maths.
Our Schools and Families programme continued to grow and through Welsh Government funding via the Curriculum for Wales support programme, we expanded the programme to reach up to 90 schools across Wales.
Meanwhile, it was the busiest year yet for our Corporate Volunteering programme, which continued to show school pupils the relevance of maths to everyday life and the workplace.
Impactful campaigns
National Numeracy Day and Number Confidence Week enjoyed enormous success in 2025, with individuals, schools and organisations across the country taking part and utilising the free resources and activities on offer.
National Numeracy Day, supported by partners including Founding Supporter KPMG, saw 1.2 million actions taken to improve numeracy, while Number Confidence Week, with partners including Headline Supporter Barclays LifeSkills, continued to support children and adults to improve their confidence, with post-campaign feedback showing strong agreement that the week raised awareness, inspired action and demonstrated the wider benefits of numeracy for individuals and society.
A place-based approach
Our place-based work took us to the East Midlands, where events included a leadership roundtable in Nottingham with Experian and the launch of the Maths Confidence Café at Clifton Library; a welcoming space to reduce maths anxiety, build confidence and promote practical numeracy in daily life.
Spreading the numeracy message throughout the media
National Numeracy achieved fantastic media coverage throughout 2025 with our Gender Taskforce recommendations being featured in the Financial Times and BBC News.
Sam Sims and National Numeracy Ambassador Rotimi Merriman-Johnson meanwhile, appeared on ITV News to talk about children’s financial education while other stand out coverage included BBC Local Radio, Channel 5, LBC Radio, the Daily Mail, City A.M., BBC Radio 2 and the Mirror.
Demonstrating positive change throughout 2025
Sam Sims, CEO of National Numeracy said: “Whether in person, via intermediaries and partners or online, our efforts to improve the nation’s numeracy have had far-reaching impact this year, particularly in communities where our support is most needed.
“Our innovation programmes are going from strength to strength, supported by an increasing number of pioneering organisations.
“From influencing educational policymaking in Westminster and launching recommendations to close the gender number confidence gap, to expanding our place-based work in Wales and the East Midlands: In 2025 our work to tackle inequality and support social mobility through improved numeracy gained significant pace and traction.”
Get involved
Our incredible impact and progress achieved in 2025 would not have been possible without our amazing, committed group of partners. Our partnerships are instrumental in our success, and together, we’re supporting more people than ever before to improve their numeracy and build brighter futures.
Working together brings a host of strategic benefits, and we’d be delighted to discuss the ways we can join forces and make a difference. Learn more about the ways our partners use campaigns to achieve their charitable goals and how your organisation can support National Numeracy’s work by emailing us at partnerships@nationalnumeracy.org.uk We’d love to arrange a chat.
