Making a strong return to maths class

Every parent wants their child to get off to a strong start when school finally returns this month. If six months of disruption to learning have left you worried that your child has fallen behind and is missing maths skills, or that there are concepts they didn’t understand, then now is the time to take action.  Unlike most academic subjects, maths knowledge is cumulative, so maths learning loss must be remedied before students can move forward.

But how can you tell where the skills gaps are?

You may have received some feedback from school, or you may have noticed areas that your child struggled with.  However, if you are just not sure, then Mathnasium’s unique diagnostic assessment can pinpoint with great accuracy each student’s individual learning needs.  The assessments reveal if a child has failed to understand a concept fully, and can provide a detailed map of their maths strengths and weaknesses.

For success in maths it is vital to make sure that the foundations are strong, since the maths curriculum builds more advanced ideas on the basis of the lessons that have gone before. If a child has a missing link they may imperceptibly start to struggle, and to lose confidence in their own abilities, setting off a downward spiral. Conversely, the firmer a child’s grasp of the basic concepts, the quicker and easier they will be able to move on to more interesting and challenging areas of maths.

What really sets Mathnasium apart from other tutoring methods are the bespoke learning plans, which are tailor-made for each child. Unlike at other tutoring companies, Mathnasium tutors do not set work for children according to their year group, but rather according to their mathematical ability, helping them to excel by focusing on what they don’t already understand. This approach benefits children who are ahead of the class just as much as those trying to catch up.  All the teaching is one to one, and dovetails with schoolwork, as it is aligned to the national curriculum. Using pen and paper rather than computer, each child works at their own pace, moving on to new objectives once they are secure. Parents are kept in touch with progress through monthly progress reports.

The Mathnasium Method^TM is effective because it fosters number sense and gets kids to start thinking like mathematicians, rather than relying on rote learning and repeated exercises like some tuition methods. If one approach to a problem does not work for the child, they are shown there are different ways to reach an answer. Success gives them greater confidence and reverses the downward spiral, replacing it with a virtuous circle where kids start to enjoy their maths and look forward to their sessions.

“I’m really impressed and very happy with the service and level of expertise provided at Mathnasium of Wimbledon,” said Priya Bhawsar. “My son made significant progress here, and therefore I would highly recommend them. They take care and diligence over my child’s learning, choosing appropriate and challenging learning material in order to extend my son’s knowledge and skill.”

Ian Dunn, whose sons attend, agreed: “I have seen a marked improvement in my boys’ maths ability. Also, I was very impressed at how the provision of service through lockdown was managed, via effective and productive online sessions.”

Centre director Mandeep Mangat, who brought the Mathnasium concept to Wimbledon Village last November, said: “We have had kids who had no confidence in their abilities; yet within a short time they made great progress, with their confidence and their skills, and we saw a big change in the way they feel about maths. The Mathnasium Method^TM explains concepts very clearly, and that makes it much easier.”

The learning centre has reopened at 14 Ridgeway, though online teaching is still available for families that prefer it. Mathnasium works with children from Reception up to Year 11.

If you are concerned about your child’s maths confidence, or gaps in their knowledge, and would like to find out how they can get up to speed and become true Mathletes, please get in touch for a FREE assessment!

Mathnasium of Wimbledon
020 7550 6100 mathnasium.co.uk/wimbledon