Books Count: Connecting reading and numeracy in primary schools
Every day at Bookmark, we’re reminded that reading has the power to change children’s life stories. We see it in the quiet victories: a child sounding out a difficult word with new determination, or the moment their face shifts from uncertainty to pride. Those moments show why we exist: to ensure every child can read.
But in many primary schools – particularly those facing challenges such as lower attainment, higher levels of deprivation, and wider barriers to learning – children often need additional support to build strong foundations in both literacy and numeracy.
That’s why we partnered with The Richmond Project to create a specially curated Rocket Pack. This pack combines number-themed storybooks and playful resources designed to build confidence in reading and early number skills.
We marked this partnership with a visit to Baring Primary School in Lewisham, where we officially launched our new number-themed Rocket Pack.
Read on to find out more about our partnership with The Richmond Project.
What is The Richmond Project?
The Richmond Project is a numeracy charity founded by Akshata Murty and Rishi Sunak. They aim to help people across all age groups thrive through better numeracy.
Their Chief Programmes Officer, Bodil Isaksen, describes numeracy as something that touches every part of life: “It’s so important to the economy today. It’s so important to people thriving in their everyday lives.” Whether budgeting, planning a journey, choosing a career or helping children with their homework, number confidence is a crucial skill in day-to-day life.
But too many people, she says, are “held back because of their lack of number skills or lack of number confidence.” The Richmond Project’s work aims to change that narrative – starting with children in primary schools.
The link between literacy and numeracy
Reading and maths are often treated as separate topics, but in reality, they’re deeply connected. In fact, children rely on reading skills to understand world problems, follow written instructions, interpret mathematical language and much more!
So, when a child struggles with reading, it can affect their confidence in maths too.
As Lizzie Gaisman, CEO of The Richmond Project, explains:
“Reading and numbers are fundamentally connected skills – too often we treat them as separate challenges.”
Strong literacy skills open doors across the curriculum. And when children experience numbers through engaging stories, maths can become less intimidating and more accessible.
The Rocket Pack was designed with this connection in mind: storybooks introduce numbers, patterns, counting and shapes in a way that children can explore while reading, making numeracy accessible and fun.
What is the Books Count initiative?
‘Books Count’ is The Richmond Project’s first practical at-home initiative to help engage people with everyday numbers. Books Count is an online book club designed to help boost numeracy through reading. Each month, Books Count will recommend a book featuring maths concepts for parents and children to read together at home.
To kick start the ‘Books Count’ initiative, The Richmond Project has funded 305 specially curated Rocket Packs filled with 20 number-themed storybooks.
These books are being shared with approximately 93,000 pupils aged 5 – 11, in primary schools that would benefit from additional literacy and numeracy support.
85% of these schools have below-average maths SATs scores, so children who struggle with reading comprehension may also struggle with accessing maths questions confidently. By giving children stories filled with counting, patterns, shapes, puzzles and numerical play, we’re helping them experience numbers in a low-pressure and gentle way, while building reading confidence.
Launching the partnership in schools
Our visit to Baring Primary School marked the exciting launch of the new number-themed Rocket Packs. Children from Reception and Year 1 eagerly opened their new book deliveries. As part of the visit, they enjoyed storytime sessions led by Akshata Murty and Rishi Sunak, creating memorable moments that made the shared storytelling experience feel special and engaging for the children.
CEO, Emily Jack, described the visit as a “great [way] to see the magic of storytelling brought to life”.
Joanne Haine, Deputy Head of Baring Primary School, shared her reflections on the day: “We were delighted to welcome you all today. As a school we have been so lucky to have benefited from the generosity of Bookmark and its donors and seen the impact that this has had for our children. It is very exciting that you are working with The Richmond Project and I have no doubt that this will have positive outcomes for families.”
The visit demonstrated just how powerful it can be to bring literacy and numeracy together in a practical, playful way. The Rocket Packs are designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and help children experience numbers through stories – showing that learning can be both accessible and joyful.
How stories build confidence with numbers
Akshata Murty, Co-Founder of The Richmond Project, highlights the power of storytelling:
“Books have the unique power to make abstract concepts concrete and exciting… counting animals, exploring patterns, understanding shapes – they’re building confidence with maths without even realising it.”
Stories make learning feel safe and familiar. When numbers appear in stories, rather than worksheets, children engage with them more naturally. For pupils who may not always see themselves as “good at maths,” this approach can be transformative.
Supporting primary schools facing barriers to learning
In primary schools where children face wider barriers – whether linked to deprivation, limited access to books at home, or lower overall attainment – confidence can be one of the biggest obstacles.
Bringing together reading for pleasure and playful exploration of numbers can help a child in many ways, such as: increasing their engagement with books, strengthening their comprehension skills and building their self-belief.
When children feel capable in one area, that confidence often carries across to others.
Rishi Sunak, co-founder of The Richmond Project, said: ‘Strong foundations in both literacy and numeracy are essential gateways to opportunity. The evidence is clear that early exposure to number concepts through engaging stories can shape a child’s entire trajectory with mathematics. By partnering with Bookmark during the National Year of Reading, we’re able to combine the joy of reading with the building blocks of number confidence. This partnership with Bookmark allows us to reach thousands of children in communities where both literacy and numeracy support is most needed.’
“Confidence with numbers often begins with reading”
That’s something we know deeply at Bookmark, and it’s reflected beautifully in our own message from our CEO, Emily Jack:
“Confidence with numbers often begins with confidence in reading. When children can understand the language of maths, they are far more able to engage with it… By creating a resource that combines the joy of reading with engaging opportunities to explore numbers, we’re helping children build both the skills and the confidence they need to succeed.”
The National Year of Reading has sparked a renewed focus on literacy across the UK. This collaboration demonstrates how reading can naturally connect with other areas of learning, like numeracy, in ways that are engaging and joyful for children.
As we work towards our goal of supporting half a million children by 2027, practical, hands-on resources like the Rocket Pack allow us to reach even more children who need extra support with literacy and numeracy – particularly those who may not have access to books or learning resources at home. By combining story-based reading with playful number activities, the Rocket Pack helps children build confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning from the start.
Explore our latest Rocket Pack, in collaboration with The Richmond Project, here.
