{"id":21491,"date":"2025-04-01T07:46:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T07:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/?p=21491"},"modified":"2025-04-01T07:47:33","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T07:47:33","slug":"how-a-dad-led-project-turned-a-seaside-town-into-a-maths-music-revolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/how-a-dad-led-project-turned-a-seaside-town-into-a-maths-music-revolution\/","title":{"rendered":"From Government Grants to Basslines: How a Dad-led Project Turned a Seaside Town into a Maths Music Revolution"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The council-backed initiative uses hip-hop to help families reconnect with numbers.<\/h3>

A new rap track and video created by a group of parents, children, and musicians in West Sussex is helping families build confidence in maths through rhyme, rhythm, and real-life stories, and it is about to go viral.<\/p>

The song is part of Dads, Sums & Drums<\/em>, a community project developed by social enterprise Dad La Soul<\/a>, with funding from West Sussex County Council through the government\u2019s Multiply programme.<\/p>

Designed to support adults who struggle with numeracy, the project takes a creative approach to a longstanding national issue \u2014 turning everyday fears about numbers into lyrics and beats.<\/p>

Produced in collaboration with youth music charity AudioActive, filmmaker Kristian Coburn of Darza Productions, and a team of rappers, singers and producers, the project explores how music can help families engage with mathematical ideas in a way that feels collaborative, joyful and relevant.<\/p>

\u201cWe wouldn\u2019t let it turn into some dodgy charity single,<\/em>\u201d says Dan Flanagan, founder of award-winning social enterprise Dad La Soul, whose brainwave the project was.<\/p>

\u00a0\u201cWithin our community, we have many experienced, creative folks that we can bring together. They include nursery and primary schools and local business leaders. They are parents who also happen to be amazing filmmakers, battle rappers, acclaimed music producers, child-led learning experts and storytellers who are thrilled to lend their skills and talent to the cause –\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

We have developed a Dad La Soul Creative Agency, which helps fund our lifesaving work, suicide prevention and the escalation in social isolation in dads’.- This level of innovation gives us a real edge when tackling challenging social issues\u201d.<\/em><\/p>

The project is showcased by a fantastic video that features more than seventy Worthing locals aged between 3 and 76 years, including the Town Crier, a definite first for any rap video.\u00a0<\/p>

A national crisis in numbers \u2014 and confidence<\/strong><\/p>

Nearly half of working-age adults in the UK have numeracy skills no better than those expected of an 11-year-old. According to government figures, poor maths ability costs the UK economy an estimated \u00a320 billion annually.<\/p>

But the challenge is not only economic. It\u2019s emotional \u2014 and generational.<\/p>

A 2023 study by Cambridge University found that 36% of children in the UK feel anxious about maths. And research shows that if a parent struggles with numeracy, their child is three times more likely to feel the same.<\/p>

\u201cWe hear it all the time,\u201d says Flanagan. \u201cParents who feel guilty, embarrassed, or just shut down when their kids ask for help with homework. It\u2019s not about laziness \u2014 it\u2019s about shame\u201d.<\/em><\/p>

The Multiply programme was launched by the UK government to tackle adult numeracy in communities across the country. With a \u00a3560 million investment, it supports projects that help people gain confidence with numbers in everyday life \u2014 from budgeting to supporting children\u2019s learning.<\/p>

The goal of Multiply is not just to boost workplace numeracy but to help parents feel confident supporting their children.<\/p>

In Worthing, that support took a different form \u2014 a garage beat, a rap verse, and a microphone.<\/p>

Richard Bromfield, Programme Officer for Multiply Skills for Life, praised the project as a bold and innovative way to tackle numeracy anxiety in families.<\/p>

“Dad La Soul\u2019s innovative approach to learning has been a game-changer. Their work with families in Worthing is a brilliant example of how creativity can tackle barriers to education and engagement. Math anxiety affects not just children but whole families\u2014and by bringing parents into the learning process in a fun and engaging way, this project is making a real impact.”<\/em><\/p>

From scribbles to the studio: turning feelings into flow<\/h2>

Before any lyrics were written or beats composed, the team behind Dads, Sums & Drums began by listening.<\/p>

Through informal conversations, tech-led data gathering, play sessions and community meetups run by Dad La Soul, families were invited to share their honest maths experiences \u2014 as children, parents, and learners.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cWe didn\u2019t need more surveys\u2014 we needed honesty,\u201d says Flanagan. \u201cThat\u2019s where the real insight lives.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

Many parents described feeling overwhelmed, anxious or ashamed when trying to help their children with homework. Others admitted avoiding maths altogether.<\/p>

Working with Hannah Coburn, a primary school teacher and maths specialist, the team translated those insights into creative prompts reflecting how young children learn: rhythm, repetition and movement. The aim was to connect with pupils and parents \u2014 many of whom had never felt confident with numbers.<\/p>

\u201cAs a teacher and maths lead, I see this all the time,<\/em>\u201d says Coburn.<\/p>

\u00a0\u201cWe often have parents and carers who want to help their children but don\u2019t understand the strategies we use in class. By involving them directly and by listening to how children feel about maths, we can break things down in a really accessible way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

From there, the artists stepped in. Rappers with roots in the UK battle scene, soulful vocalists, scratch DJs and experienced producers worked closely with the community to turn real feelings into lyrics.<\/p>

What might have been a novelty project became something more substantial: a track described as a \u201cgrooving garage rap with anthemic soulful house chorus<\/em>\u201d \u2014 designed not to go viral but to create connection.<\/p>

Learning through lyrics: families find a new rhythm with maths<\/strong><\/p>

The impact was immediate for Paul Tyldesley, a father who had participated in the project.<\/p>

\u201cThis project has really helped me and my son have fun with maths,\u201d he says. \u201cWe make up raps about sums and numbers in the car together. Before, I would really struggle to get him interested in anything mathematical.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

Children involved in the sessions responded enthusiastically \u2014 not just to the music but to the shift in tone around learning.<\/p>

\u201cMaths is about learning different tricks that will help you in real life,\u201d says Leo, aged six. \u201cDoing raps about it helps me remember.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

\u201cThat sense of joy \u2014 and shared effort \u2014 is a core part of the project\u2019s success\u201d,<\/em> according to Hannah Coburn, who helped guide the curriculum alignment.<\/p>

“As a primary school teacher and a maths specialist, projects like ‘Dads, Sums & Drums’ are absolutely invaluable.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

We often have parents and carers struggling to help their children with their maths homework, not really understanding the strategies we use to break down numbers in our lessons.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

By engaging adults in this way and by listening to children’s voices when it comes to maths, we can break down the learning in a really fun and accessible way, giving parents and carers confidence around maths when talking to their children – it’s absolutely incredible. I really hope that the project is picked up not just locally but nationally.”<\/em><\/p>

Local councillors have also welcomed the initiative as an example of how creative partnerships can address serious educational barriers.<\/p>

\u201cThis is another great example of partnership working,<\/em>\u201d says Cllr Jacquie Russell, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Learning and Skills at West Sussex County Council.<\/p>


\u201cWe\u2019re pleased to support innovative projects like this \u2014 ones that help parents, carers and children across the county build skills and confidence in line with our council priorities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

From Worthing to Nationwide? A new model for community learning<\/strong><\/p>

Although Dads, Sums & Drums<\/em> was developed in one corner of West Sussex, those behind the project believe it could offer a blueprint for broader social change.<\/p>

\u201cIf we can turn 70 families into rap-loving mathematicians and bring local nurseries, schools and businesses together to tackle what might be quite a dull subject, imagine what we could do nationwide,\u201d says Dan Flanagan<\/em><\/p>

While many education interventions focus on classroom settings, this project takes a different approach \u2014 meeting families where they are and making learning feel communal, creative, and non-judgemental.<\/p>

\u201cIt sounds ridiculous at first,\u201d<\/em> he says. \u201cBut when you see a kid and his parents who hated maths, now understanding and rapping about quadratic equations, you realise \u2014 it\u2019s not just working, it\u2019s transforming how families engage with learning.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re not trying to go viral. We\u2019re trying to change how families feel about learning. And if this track helps just one more dad sit down, laugh, and work through homework with their kid \u2014 then we\u2019ve done our job.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

To learn more about the project, visit www.dadlasoul.com.<\/a> Watch the video on YouTube<\/a> or listen to it on Spotify.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The council-backed initiative uses hip-hop to help families reconnect with numbers. A new rap track and video created by a group of parents, children, and musicians in West Sussex is helping families build confidence in maths through rhyme, rhythm, and real-life stories, and it is about to go viral. The song is part of Dads, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":21492,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[929],"tags":[],"directory-category":[],"event_categories":[],"class_list":["post-21491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-18 17:05:33","action":"change-status","newStatus":"trash","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21491"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21491\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21496,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21491\/revisions\/21496"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21491"},{"taxonomy":"directory-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/directory-category?post=21491"},{"taxonomy":"event_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-sussex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event_categories?post=21491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}