We’re here to make maths feel different
We believe every learner deserves to feel capable in maths. Our approach helps maths learners change the way they feel about maths so they can move forward with confidence, achieve their maths goals, and access the opportunities they deserve.
The Maths Confidence Hub story
Maths opens doors. Whether it's progressing in education, accessing employment opportunities, or feeling more confident with numbers in everyday life, mathematical confidence and competence can play an important role in shaping future choices.
Yet for many learners, maths is associated with anxiety rather than opportunity. Research (National Numeracy, 2023) suggests that over a third of adults in the UK feel anxious about maths, with many experiencing levels of anxiety that can make learning and problem-solving significantly more difficult.
The inspiration for The Maths Confidence Hub came from years of working with learners who were capable of making progress, but were being held back by something other than mathematical understanding alone.
Through my work in a range of educational settings, and on national maths improvement programmes, I saw the powerful difference that confidence-building approaches could make. When learners felt safe and were supported to challenge unhelpful beliefs about their abilities, meaningful progress followed. But these approaches are still far from mainstream in formal education and tutoring spaces. The Maths Confidence Hub was created to change that.
Our mission is to:
- help learners rebuild confidence, deepen understanding, and develop a more positive relationship with maths, opening up access to a wider range of opportunities.
- increase awareness of the psychological and emotional factors that influence maths learning.
- make maths confidence-building approaches more accessible and widely understood.
Founder bio
Hello, I'm Nicola, the founder of The Maths Confidence Hub.
I began my career teaching maths in secondary schools before moving into further education, where I taught and managed maths resit programmes for learners returning to maths after difficult experiences at school. Working closely with these learners, I became increasingly interested in the role that confidence, anxiety and mindset play in mathematical success.
As a Centre Lead on the national Centres for Excellence in Maths programme, I helped develop and implement approaches that addressed psychological barriers alongside maths learning. I later became a Senior Education Advisor, supporting maths teachers across the post-16 education sector and contributing to national research programmes, including the Can-Do Maths Programme, designed to improve learner outcomes and engagement.
Alongside my work in maths education, I hold postgraduate qualifications in Education, Psychology and Management, and have undertaken extensive professional development in trauma-informed practice. I am currently studying trauma-informed somatic counselling, deepening my understanding of how past experiences can influence confidence, participation and learning.
A collaborative approach
While I personally deliver most of the support offered through The Maths Confidence Hub, I also work alongside a small, trusted network of experienced education professionals and specialists. Having worked with each of them over many years, I know they share the same values and commitment to supporting positive learning experiences.
This collaborative approach allows me to access a broader range of knowledge and experience while maintaining the personalised, learner-centred approach that sits at the heart of The Maths Confidence Hub.
As well as being qualified maths teachers, our wider team also have specialist training in maths anxiety, trauma-informed practice, and neuro-inclusive teaching. The support we offer is shaped by the Maths Confidence Approach, a framework that brings together emotional safety, mindset work, and clear, connected maths teaching.
