The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)’s Maths Champion Programme is set to expand into 800 more early years settings in England.

The expansion of the early maths intervention is being funded by Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the Department for Education’s Accelerator funding.

The Maths Champions Programme is a professional development programme aimed at boosting early years practitioners’ skills, knowledge and confidence in supporting children with early maths learning.

Research from the University of York and Durham University found that children who had been on the Maths Champions programme were on average two months ahead of their peers in maths and language development at the end of Reception year. Children eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) maintained six months of additional progress compared with their peers at the end of reception.

Nurseries that take part in the 12 month scheme nominate a Maths Champion and a Deputy Maths Champion to support and inspire the rest of their team. The Champions receive training including one-to-one support sessions from NDNA, bespoke online training courses, coaching, an observational assessment tool and play-based activities.

Stella Ziolkowski, NDNA’s director of quality and training, said: “The crucial aspect of the Maths Champions Programme which makes it so effective is the enhanced confidence that practitioners in the setting develop in their own maths abilities. As a result, they pass this learning and knowledge onto the children and also their parents and carers. They create more opportunities to support children to develop their own love of maths, which unlocks huge potential for their future learning and wellbeing.”

The Maths Champions scheme is currently being delivered to more than 605 settings across England through national fully funded programmes. NDNA will recruit 800 more settings to take part in the fully funded programme between October 2024 and April 2025.