Professional Darts Corporation Launch Nationwide Numeracy Campaign
Author:
Roy Brindley
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has launched a ground-breaking numeracy campaign, Bullseye Maths, to help improve numeracy levels amongst Key Stage 2 schoolchildren – aged between seven and 11 – in the UK. Bullseye Maths encourages children to play with maths through an in-school activity program and a dedicated learning section on the PDC’s website.
Bullseye Maths aims to encourages children to learn and practice maths using darting scenarios. ©Soapbox London
Here, children and their families can access an online darts-based maths game, Mathlete. They can also download fun maths activity sheets to use with a dartboard and watch videos from PDC players and referees talking about their experiences with maths when growing up.
As a sport that requires players to use numbers, the PDC says they have launched this maths program to use darts as a fun and inclusive way to help children improve their basic numeracy skills.
Smith Returns to School
Bullseye Maths was launched by world number four Michael Smith. He returned to his old school, Broad Oak Community Primary School in St Helens, to take part in a darts-based maths class with a dozen schoolchildren, boys and girls, aged between nine and 11.
Michael Smith’s school visit to promote Bullseye Maths is the first of many planned by the PDC. ©Soapbox London
There Smith said: “Growing up, numbers weren’t my thing. I really didn’t enjoy them at all, and always got so nervous going into maths lessons. I hated the feeling of not understanding the lessons and it really knocked my confidence. As soon as I started playing darts at 14-years-of-age, and learning the different numbers, checkouts and ways of playing, my confidence began to grow.”
The 2022 World Championship runner-up added: “I wish I knew then what I know now and that I had started to play darts much younger using the scoresheets. My son’s maths is unreal, he loves playing darts with me and enjoys the numbers side of the game. He was marking games at four years old. That’s what darts does for you.”
Helping the Covid Generation
Studies show that children’s numeracy levels have been affected throughout the pandemic as school closures meant many young pupils’ education was disrupted at a crucial time in their development. Talking about this and the new initiative, PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter explained: “For many people, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic will be long-lasting.”
“As a sport that requires a degree of numerical ability, when we heard about the impact that had been seen with children’s numeracy, we wanted to see what we could do to support young children and families with maths.”
He continued: “We are therefore delighted to launch Bullseye Maths and we hope the games, tips, tricks and player stories will help make learning maths fun and inspire youngsters to believe in their ability.”
“A dartboard is like a big puzzle with a number of different combinations. It’s up to you how you get to the needed number, and that’s a lot of the fun. By playing darts and unlocking the combinations, you are doing simple maths and the more you play, the easier numbers and patterns will come to you,” Porter added.
Mathlete Tour to Better Percentages
The PDC has been working closely with Maths on Toast, the family maths charity, to create the webpage that will meet the needs of Key Stage 2 pupils.
In addition to the clear benefits to schoolchildren, the charity explains that government statistics suggest that 49 percent of the working-age population have the numeracy level expected of primary school-aged children.
Furthermore, maths anxiety is a real and debilitating emotional reaction to maths. They strongly advocate that playing with numbers as part of fun activities and everyday life is key to a positive attitude towards maths.
The Mathlete game and its activity sheets will be used as part of a nationwide schools tour – all featuring a top-pro, child-friendly darts and dartboards – which are being planned to run alongside the Cazoo Premier League and other PDC televised tournaments during 2022.
