Last year, the government funded 50 summer schools around England. This summer, there are 300 - as well as 900 of the longer-established literacy summer schools.

The Education Secretary, David Blunkett, is going along to one of the numeracy schools, at Handsworth Grange Secondary in his Sheffield constituency, to emphasise the importance he attaches to improving children's basic numeracy skills.

When most primary schools return after the long holiday in England next month, they are due to be starting the national numeracy strategy, with an hour a day dedicated to maths teaching.

Raising standards

In fact something like 70% have begun this already, Mr Blunkett revealed.

Although the numeracy strategy was planned to begin a year after the similar literacy strategy, introduced last autumn, many schools which were having to rewrite their timetables chose to embark on both programmes at the same time.

The hope is that this drive will in the long run improve the country's poor record in adult basic skills. But ministers are concerned that those who are already about to start secondary school will miss out - hence the summer booster classes for 11-year-olds.

"The work schools are doing this year will help raise standards in maths and are a vital part of our plan to create a more numerate nation," Mr Blunkett said.

"So many young people need to catch up in order to become part of the literate and numerate workforce of the 21st century.