EEF report reveals Early Number with Numicon increases educators’ confidence in teaching early maths

Our Early Number with Numicon programme increases childminder and nursery practitioner confidence in teaching early maths, according to a new pilot evaluation report published by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).   

Early Number with Numicon is a 14-week professional development programme for childminders and nursery practitioners in early years settings. Designed and delivered by Oxford University Press, the programme aims to improve early years practitioners’ knowledge and confidence in developing early numeracy skills with children aged between three to four years old.

Jayne Jarvis

Head of Primary Maths

“We are delighted to read the EEF’s positive evaluation of our Early Number with Numicon programme. We know how vital it is to build an early strong foundation in numeracy, and, as a programme specifically designed for pre-school settings, we are in a unique position to support early years practitioners with the resources they need to confidently inspire a love of maths at an early age.”

The programme was independently evaluated by IFF Research on behalf of the EEF, taking place between September 2024 and March 2025. The EEF’s report found that the programme increased childminder and nursery practitioner confidence, with childminders showing significant gains. In addition, all surveyed practitioners reported that Numicon positively impacted children’s early numeracy development in most aspects of children’s numeracy.  

Other key findings include the inclusive nature of the programme, with many practitioners feeling positive about adapting the delivery of the programme for children with special educational needs and disabilities, as well as children with English as an additional language.

Sashka Dimova, Research Director at the IFF, said: “The pilot shows that Early Number with Numicon can make a real difference in how early years practitioners support children’s early maths skills. Practitioners told us they felt more confident, better equipped, and more able to use practical activities to bring early numeracy to life. Children were engaged, and practitioners noticed improvements in counting, pattern recognition, and mathematical language. The programme was well-received across nurseries and childminder settings, showing it can work in a range of early years environments too.”

You can read the full evaluation here.