Parents admit to struggle with maths

A recent survey, carried out by ICM, asked 1,000 parents about their maths skills and the new maths primary curriculum.

34% of those questioned said they find maths the hardest subject to help their child with, with 24% stating that they didn't have the confidence to help their child with long division without the use of a calculator. 24% also said they would struggle to convert between decimals, fractions and percentages.

The survey found that half of parents could not answer a maths problem designed for ten-year-olds.

The parents were asked: "£1 exchanges for $1.60 Ashley returns from holiday with $20, having spent $60. How many pounds did Ashley start with?"
Around 47 per cent gave the right answer of £50.

However, 82% said they find maths useful in their working lives.

When asked about their child's education, 66% felt developing confidence in maths was important and 44% felt enjoyment was key. The majority (82%) felt developing basic maths at primary school would help children solve more complex problems later in life.

The Kumon Maths Programme aims to develop a firm understanding of mental maths and the confidence to tackle a range of problems. Each level builds incrementally on the skills developed in the previous level, ensuring a solid understanding and the ability to put learning into practice.

Each student will begin at a comfortable level for them. Their individual starting point, along with their expected projection rate, is established at a free assessment. Once a firm foundation and good study skills have been developed, students move on to unfamiliar, more challenging work as they grow their independent learning skills.