Maths: for thousands of children, it just doesn’t add up
Pupils should be taught maths in a way that helps them understand and apply it in the context of their everyday lives, according to our latest report Mathematics: understanding the score.
While the quality of lessons is at least good in half of England’s schools, many teachers still adopt the ‘teaching to the test’ approach. This method of coaching students to pass examinations hinders their development of a thorough understanding of the subject. It also reduces pupils’ ability to solve problems using mathematical reasoning.
The report includes useful guidance for practitioners to help them differentiate between ‘satisfactory’ and ‘good’ teaching at both primary and secondary level.