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Making maths count in
Liverpool
A CAMPAIGN to drive up numeracy and
mathematics skills in Liverpool has been launched on Thursday, 1 October 2015.
Liverpool Counts will see the launch of a new 'quality mark' to recognise
excellent practice in schools and other education establishments as part of a
drive to improve attainment in maths at all levels in education.
Around 30 schools representing the primary, secondary and special school sectors
will attend the launch at Partnership for Learning in Speke.
Dr Graham Lawler; who created the highly acclaimed:- 'BBC Bite Size GCSE'
revision
guide for advanced maths and wrote a book with the late Sir Arthur C Clarke
about understanding maths; has been appointed to lead Liverpool Counts.
The scheme; spearheaded by the Liverpool Learning Partnership, which comprises
education leaders in the City who support and challenge each other; aims to:-
► Raise standards in mathematics and numeracy with fun and joy of number at its
heart.
► To challenge perceptions and change attitudes towards number and mathematics.
► To raise the profile of numeracy using activities, events and resources based
on real life.
► To bring relevance to numeracy through problem solving demonstrating it is an
essential skill.
Although exam results have improved in Liverpool over the last decade,
performance in maths still lags behind English and recent changes to the GCSE
examination means it now incorporates many topics that were previously confined
to the A level paper.
Dr Lawler said:- "This project will build on the good work that is already
happening in Liverpool. Our schools are improving but we do recognise there is
more to do. Our companies and organisations will also be involved as will our
colleges, and we all need to play our part; which means mums and dads as well.
The worst thing that adults say to children is that they could never do maths
when they were their age. It suggests you can be successful without basic maths
when actually numeracy and literacy are like food and drink; you can last for a
while without one or the other, but you need both to survive.
We all need to adopt the national numeracy slogan 'I can't do maths… YET' and
take action to learn!"
Research shows that:-
► Adults who have good numeracy skills are less likely to be unemployed.
► Numeracy is a bigger indicator of disadvantage than literacy.
► The OECD said in 2013 that good numeracy is the best protection against
unemployment, low wages and poor health.
Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet member for education and skills, said:-
"Liverpool schools have made massive progress over the last decade and exam
results have improved immensely, but maths results lag behind those in English.
Good numeracy skills are an increasingly important part of many skilled jobs and
essential to everyday life as an adult. If you can't do maths then you won't be
able to understand your payslips and bills, or get the best shopping deals.
Liverpool Counts is about making numeracy accessible and fun to improve your
maths skills in a way that works for you."
Also at the launch will be Liverpool Learning Partnership Chief Executive Elaine
Rees. School Improvement Liverpool, which works to drive up standards in
schools, is a key partner in the initiative, while Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
is also backing the drive.
Liverpool Counts is based on the successful model of Liverpool City of Readers,
which is contributing to the raising of standards in reading and writing.
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9 in 10 tenants unaware
of new law to protect them from revenge evictions
88% say they are unaware of a new law
introduced on the 1 October 2015, that is intended to protect them from so called
retaliatory or revenge evictions, according to findings from the leading
landlord association.
The new law, introduced as part of the 'Deregulation Act', will prevent
landlords from ending a tenancy using a Section 21 or 'no fault'
notice if they fail to address a complaint about the state of repair of the
property that is made by their tenant to the local authority.
The National Landlords Association (NLA) is calling on local Councils to
provide a clear framework for how they plan to deal with complaints in order
to ensure that legitimate ones are taken seriously and that spurious ones
don't unnecessarily prolong the possession process.
Richard Lambert, Chief Executive Officer, National Landlords Association (NLA)
said:- "These kinds of evictions are extremely rare but we have to
make sure that complaints by tenants don't just get lost in the system,
regardless of whether they're legitimate or not.
The majority of landlords only choose to end a tenancy if it's absolutely
necessary, so we have to make sure that the system isn't abused by those
simply trying to prolong the evictions process.
We all know that local Councils are under resourced, but housing problems
must take priority. If a tenant complains about a potentially hazardous
issue then both they and their landlord should have a clear expectation of
how and when the Council will deal with it.
If Councils fail to act on complaints then it will undermine the law and
tenants' confidence in a system that's supposed to protect them".
The research, which also asked tenants why their last tenancy came to an
end, found that:-
► Just 9% of tenants feel they were asked to leave a private rented property
after asking for repairs or maintenance to be carried out.
► 82% of tenants say they feel assured by the new law.
► 78% said their last tenancy ended at the their own request
► 15% ended because the landlord wanted to sell the property.
► Just 4% ended because the tenant could no longer afford the rent.
► 1% ended because the tenant was in arrears.
Charity night for
Dreamflight
A Merseyside Police Officer is
organising a charity night to raise money to send seriously ill and disabled
children on the holiday of a lifetime to America. Detective Sergeant Mark
Dickinson, who is based at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, and his wife,
Lisa, who is a nurse at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, set up the Liverpool
fundraising group for Dreamflight. Dreamflight is a national charity
which has run for 28 years sending 192 children with a serious illness or
disability each year on a 10 day trip of a lifetime to Florida. The charity
has to raise around £3,500 to send each child and, during last 2 years, the
Liverpool group has raised over £50,000 for 7 underprivileged local children
each year to make the trip. This year there have been a number of
fundraising events including a Zip Wire Challenge, Tandem Skydive and a
charity fun day. The latest fundraising event is being held at the First
National Wine Bar on James Street, Liverpool City Centre on Friday, 13
November 2015. Tickets for the event are £15 and include entertainment
from:- Elevation - The U2 Experience and a buffet. Mark is also looking for
any companies or individuals who can donate cash or raffle prizes to help
raise money. Mark said:- "It's a fantastic cause which transforms the
lives of local kids across our area who are coping with serious illnesses
and desperately need something to look forward to. This year we are hoping
to send 6 seriously ill or disabled children to Florida." For more
information contact Mark by email at:-
marklfgdreamflight@gmail.com or call:- 07703 108839.
Tickets for the charity night are also available behind the bar at the First
National. |
