| Abstract: | Focusing on ‘Whole school action on Numeracy’, research began in six primary schools undergoing an Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) inspection during the year September 1997 to 1998, as part of the Leverhulme Numeracy Research Programme. The Numeracy Task Force was working during that time to prepare the Numeracy Strategy with its implementation date of September 1999. Schools were aware that this was coming, but had the major innovation of the National Literacy Strategy to implement in September 1998. This paper reports on the ways in which three major outside constraints — OFSTED inspection with its attendant Action Plan, a national focus on Literacy and the impending National Numeracy Strategy — caused conflicts for schools as they planned action to raise attainment in numeracy. |
