Numeracy Skills testing was brought to the forefront following the Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report in 2015. The announcement was met with much concern by many pre-service teachers (PSTs). Given the body of research associated with mathematics anxiety and assessment, which suggests that students' self-efficacy and confidence in their mathematical abilities can be counterproductive, this paper explores the impact of positive reinforcement and affirmation on the knowledge and mathematical ability of a cohort of PSTs facing the "Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students".