Practical Maths Best For Pupils

A study by a schools' body has said that learning through practical examples is the best way for school children to grasp mathematics.

The study by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) said that practical activities were of "crucial importance" for three to seven year olds learning maths.

Providing the best grounding in mathematics at primary school is of "fundamental importance" to children’s future success in education, life and at work "in today’s mathematical world", the report found.

The study, called 'Good practice in primary mathematics: evidence from 20 successful schools', published on Sunday, looked at how 20 schools successfully taught arithmetic, a key component of mathematics.

The report highlighted the approaches that best help children progress from counting to calculating, reason about numbers, work with measures and acquire the skills that underpin mathematical learning and applications in school and beyond.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Miriam Rosen said: "Just as a child cannot hope to succeed without the basic standards in reading, basic mathematics is an essential prerequisite for a decent education. This report looks in detail at what works best in teaching young children about numbers.

"From the need to ensure children really know their times-tables, to an understanding of how numbers and calculations relate to each other, the report discusses what works. The examples here provide a valuable tool for all primary schools in England – I hope they will take the opportunity to learn from the best practice available."

According to the report, fluency in mental arithmetic methods, including agility with multiplication tables, is also essential for achieving good skills in adding and subtracting, multiplication and division. As well as calculating accurately, pupils who are taught to be flexible in their approaches can solve a wide range of problems.

Ofsted said that confidence, deeper understanding and versatility are nurtured through a strong emphasis on problem solving and placing it at the heart of arithmetic. The report highlights several examples of children learning through real-life problems using money and measures.

In one school pupils measured the school playground and prepared an estimate for the cost of new tarmac for the surface. In another, children were asked to work out value for money of common supermarket products such as 500ml bottles of a drink versus a two litre bottle, including factoring in special offers and ‘buy one get one free’ deals.

Ofsted said that with a review of the National Curriculum underway, the survey was "particularly significant".

(DW)