The Mathematics Adviser is designated to have specific responsibility for the promotion of numeracy. The Adviser will meet formally at regional level with colleagues from other Boards, CCMS and CCEA as part of the Northern Ireland Steering Group for Numeracy. The Adviser will determine SELB policy and strategy for promoting numeracy in consultation with relevant groups within SELB.

The Board has designated three members of the CASS staff as specialist Numeracy Development Officers, two of whom will work in the primary sector and one in the secondary sector. It is their role to train and support primary, secondary and special schools in developing whole-school approaches to numeracy. This will take the form of :

• centre-based courses
• cluster support
• generation of support materials
• advice on good practice in the promotion of numeracy
• assistance in determining targets
• providing strategies for achieving targets

In some cases they will work intensively with a small number of schools.

Their work will also focus on direct support for teachers within the classroom, in particular in fostering teachers' skills in diagnosis and the consequent development of appropriate teaching approaches. They will continue to monitor the value of externally standardised tests as tools in measuring progress.

Numeracy will become a whole-service issue for SELB. In order to mirror and support the view that numeracy is a whole-school issue, internal structures within SELB will facilitate consultation between relevant groups to negotiate the connections between their work, namely :

• Mathematics CASS personnel - Mathematics Team Meetings
• Non-Mathematics CASS personnel - Whole School Issues Team Meetings
• Library Service - Consultation
• Youth Service - Consultation
• Special Education Branch/Admin - Consultation
• Peripatetic Service/Home Tuition - Consultation
• Specialist Peripatetic - Consultation
• Psychology Service/Professional - CASS Meetings
• Consultation
• Learning Support Team - Consultation
• Whole School Issues Team Meetings
• Children Order Team - CASS Meetings
• Governor Training - Whole School Issues Team Meetings
• Curriculum Support for Special Schools - Consultation

This will strengthen and support a whole-service approach to numeracy. The negotiation will clarify the roles and relationships between groups, leading to a common understanding of the contribution of each to developing and improving numeracy standards. This will provide an integrated service to schools.

It is important to acknowledge that, while formal opportunities exist within the school curriculum, informal opportunities can be pursued through other sections within the Board.