Dame Shirley Conran DBE, Founder of Maths Anxiety Trust, in conversation with Peter York
filmed by Edmund Trevelyan-Johnson
Maths Anxiety is defined as a negative emotional reaction to mathematics, leading to varying degrees of helplessness, panic and mental disorganisation that arises among some people when faced with a mathematical problem.
"Although Maths Anxiety has been recognised in higher academic circles for over half a century and although it affects a significant proportion of the population, it is little known about by the wider general public or even the teaching profession.
Mathematics – maths – is a social justice issue: around one in five adults in the UK lack even basic numeracy skills without which they find it difficult to budget; they feel stressed and insecure about money regardless of their income, and they struggle to overcome barriers to progression in work.
In 2018 I set up The Maths Anxiety Trust to raise public awareness and understanding of the condition known as Maths Anxiety and to find solutions.
We have created this web site dedicated to Maths Anxiety as a resource for anyone and everyone (teachers, parents, students, adults) who experience Maths Anxiety. We have developed resources which you will find on the site and which we hope you will find helpful. We will be developing new resources in the coming months.
Whatever you do in life whether your dream is to become a famous footballer, pilot, dressmaker, singer, doctor, sailor, dancer .... Maths is essential.”
