Project Title
Multiply
Funders
Torbay Council
Tina's Journey -
Background/Reason for Joining Eat That Frog
Tina came to Eat That Frog following a difficult journey with education and employment. Having been unemployed and actively looking for work, Tina’s confidence was low, particularly when it came to maths. She openly shared that her school experience with maths had been extremely negative. Despite excelling in English, Tina had been placed in a low-level maths class where she was deemed ‘unable to learn’ and sadly left to her own devices with little to no teaching or support. This early experience significantly affected her confidence and left her with long-standing fear and anxiety around maths.
Tina also faced challenges with memory retention, which made her even more apprehensive about returning to education. Despite these barriers, she was determined to try again and believed that, with the right support, she could achieve more than her past experiences had led her to believe. She was referred to Eat That Frog’s Multiply provision via the Forward Focus course, where she enrolled on a bespoke curriculum to help her move towards gaining a maths qualification.
Support given by Eat That Frog
At Eat That Frog, Tina was provided with a completely tailored and supportive learning environment. The bespoke curriculum was specifically designed to address her individual learning pace and style, particularly taking into account her memory difficulties. Through dedicated one-to-one sessions, Tina was able to work at a pace that suited her and gradually build her skills in a way that felt safe and achievable.
Throughout the course, Tina demonstrated resilience and a genuine commitment to learning, despite finding some concepts challenging to retain. Her tutor provided consistent encouragement and adapted teaching methods to support her learning and confidence-building journey.
Importantly, the learning at Eat That Frog was not just about academic skills – Tina was supported holistically to help her grow in self-belief and see the practical benefits of maths in everyday life and employment. Alongside her studies, Tina continued to actively seek work and soon secured a private cleaning position, giving her a renewed sense of purpose and achievement. She maintained her maths lessons alongside this role, showing impressive dedication.
Outcome / Qualifications gained
Tina successfully completed her bespoke curriculum and made significant measurable progress. She improved her Initial Assessment score from an Entry Level 3.0 to Entry Level 3.6 – a fantastic achievement that now provides her with a solid foundation to move forward and work towards a Level 1 Functional Skills maths qualification, which she is keen to pursue.
Her growing confidence in maths had a direct and positive impact on her employability. In addition to her cleaning role, Tina has now secured a part-time retail position – a step she previously would not have felt confident to take. The skills she gained through her maths learning at Eat That Frog helped her feel more capable and less anxious about using an electronic till, an area she had initially found intimidating. Tina’s story is a powerful example of how, with the right support and a nurturing environment, a learner can overcome past negative experiences and unlock new opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Eat That Frog’s support has been a catalyst for change in Tina’s life, helping her to break free from the limitations of her school experience and move forward with confidence into sustainable employment and further learning.