Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs Let's Count: building early numeracy skills
Children who start school behind in key areas like numeracy often stay behind. And the gap between them and their peers widens as they progress through school.
Children experiencing disadvantage can fall behind in the classroom. Without intervention, they can continue to fall further behind as each school year progresses – and by the time they’re 15 years old, these students are on average two to three years behind their peers.
This matters. Achievement in Year 9 strongly predicts later success in areas like education and work2. And having good early numeracy skills is strongly associated with other positive outcomes, including life satisfaction, and even physical and mental health3 – things we all want.
That’s why getting the basics right at an early age is so important. Setting a child up for a good start to school helps them build the foundations needed for a lifetime of achievement. This is where our Let’s Count program can help.
...it was a nice reminder, just how simple maths things can be at home and uncomplicated and immediate in your environment around you.
I wish that everybody had the opportunity to do Let’s Count, because I’ve just seen such big improvement in the children’s concepts of maths and preparing them for school next year …
Let’s Count: building strong foundations
Let’s Count is an early mathematics program designed to build strong foundations in numeracy. Developed by The Smith Family, Professor Bob Perry (Charles Sturt University) and Associate Professor Ann Gervasoni (Monash University), the program focuses on children aged three to five years to familiarise them with numeracy through simple, everyday situations. This prepares them for the school years ahead.
The program recognises education as a powerful tool for positive change in a child’s life. It is built on the understanding that everyone – children, their parents and carers – can be a mathematician with the right help.
Our success so far
Let’s Count has been running for more than ten years. In that time, we have helped early-years professionals and parents across the country to support children as they begin to develop their numeracy skills.
85%
of educators reported Improved capacity to work with parents/carers to support children’s numeracy after completing their training for the program.
88%
of educators noted increased confidence in helping their students with mathematical development after their first training session for the program.
For early years professionals
Our award winning program supports your professional development
Let's Count is a practical and tangible professional development opportunity for Early Years Professionals available via face to face workshops or via our online learning portal.
Since its launch in 2009, Let’s Count has positively impacted over 168,000 children, parents and Early Years Professionals throughout Australia. To underpin its credibility, the program aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework and meets National Quality Standard requirements.
Download the Let’s Count Facebook Messenger bot resources for Early Years Professionals below
Online learning
In 2019, Let’s Count Online was awarded Silver for Best eLearning Design in the category of Free eLearning Resources by LearnX. It is practical, tangible and fun consisting of two self-guided online modules that can be completed in your own time and at your own pace.
Face to face workshops
The face to face workshops involve two full days of training.
For for more information and to register for our face to face workshops please write to letscountprogram@thesmithfamily.com.au.
For parents and families
The Let's Count Facebook Messenger Bot
The Let's Count Facebook Messenger bot is an interactive platform that uses everyday activities and objects to suggest ways in which parents and carers can support their children’s math's learning, like counting the change and weighing the fruit whilst out shopping.
The activities are all designed to help children to notice, explore and talk about mathematics.
Supported by funding from BOQ and the Department of Education, Skills and Employment under the National Innovation and Science Agenda.
Let’s Count Revision 2020-2021 : Literature Review and Snapshot
In 2020-2021, with the support the Ian Potter Foundation and Equity Trustees – James Raymond Hartley Charitable Trust, we embarked on a journey to review our early numeracy program, Let’s Count.
Together with our key stakeholders we reviewed the latest research and developments in early years learning and early years maths learning and Indigenous Knowledge with the aim to ensure that Let’s Count includes the latest learnings, making them inherent in the program as well as making Let’s Count appropriate for all cultural backgrounds.
Part of this work included this Literature Review and it’s subsequent recommendations written by Peridot Education with Appendices from the Stronger Smarter Institute.
Download the quick Literature Review Snapshot
Let’s Count program design review
A video interview showcasing the Let’s Count Program design review process which took place in 2021/22 from the perspective of the key stakeholders; The Smith Family, Stronger Smarter Institute and Peridot Education Consultants.
The Smith Family was able to undertake this project thanks to philanthropic funding from The Ian Potter Foundation and Equity Trustees - James Raymond Hartley Charitable Trust. We are so grateful to our supporters for seeing the importance of this work and so generously supporting it.
Our learning programs
Learning for Life
Learning for Life is an innovative, evidence-based program that supports students throughout their education to achieve positive long-term outcomes for young people experiencing disadvantage.
Cadetship to Career
Cadetship to Career is a youth employment initiative that links tertiary students supported by The Smith Family with employers for paid, flexible, multi-year cadetship opportunities.
Digital Access
The Digital Access program improves families’ digital inclusion by ensuring all Learning for Life families have access to low-cost internet, devices and tech support.
Girls at the Centre
This aspirational program aims to strengthen social, emotional and cultural knowledge and academic aspirations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls in Years 7–12.
Growing Careers Project
This program gives young people the opportunity to acquire what they need to thrive post-school by enabling them to participate in multiple career programs.
Indigenous Youth Leadership Program
The Indigenous Youth Leadership Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students living in remote or very remote areas to attend a high performing secondary school and/or university to further their education.
Learning Clubs
After-school Learning Clubs give children help with literacy homework in a safe, supportive environment, encouraging children to better engage with their learning.
MoneyMinded
MoneyMinded is a practical, evidence-based financial education program that helps individuals and families develop essential money management skills.
student2student
Our student2student reading program matches students from Years 3–8 who are up to two years behind in their reading skills with Buddies who have good literacy skills, to help and encourage them.
Saver Plus
A free financial education program helping people on low incomes build financial skills and develop life-long savings habits.
The Let’s Count program has been proudly supported by the following partners:
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1 Shuey, E. and M. Kankaraš, M. (2018). The Power and Promise of Early Learning. OECD Education Working Papers, no. 186, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/f9b2e53f-en.
2 Goss, P. and Sonnemann, J. (2016). Widening Gaps: What NAPLAN tells us about student progress. Grattan Institute.
3 Widening Gaps: What NAPLAN tells us about student progress. p. 1
2 Goss, P. and Sonnemann, J. (2016). Widening Gaps: What NAPLAN tells us about student progress. Grattan Institute.
3 Widening Gaps: What NAPLAN tells us about student progress. p. 1