Let's Talk Maths...

Let’s talk maths. One of the barriers we often find students face with this subject is tackling problem-solving. It’s hard!

Pupils often don’t know where to start, can’t transfer strategies into new contexts, and sometimes freeze when faced with the unknown. Kirstin Mulholland's EEF guidance highlights that problem-solving is about moving from a starting point to a goal without an obvious route. This is process that is unpredictable, complex, and often frustrating for learners.

In addition, the pandemic hindered maths progress by up to 3 months, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, making the challenge feel even greater.

But here’s the opportunity. As the EEF reminds us, it’s not about racing through endless questions. It’s about slowing down, talking more, doing less, and making the invisible thinking visible. By exploring strategies, comparing approaches, and reflecting on why they work, pupils gain the confidence to move beyond ‘guesswork’ into genuine mathematical problem solving.

At South West Learning, this is exactly the kind of thinking we are embedding into our evolving maths curriculum. Working 1:1 with vulnerable young people who have gaps in learning or are currently outside mainstream education, we implement this through techniques our teachers are experts at: 

-           Adapting questions to be open so there is not a black and white answer (unusual for maths)

-           Removing ‘noise’ from questions 

-           Using images to problem solve

The impact of this is to build problem solving skills that not only helps with reintegration into school but also fosters independence and resilience.