When I reviewed The Elephant in the Classroom I shared a confession – sometimes the fears and anxieties related to Maths stay a part of your life even into adulthood which is why I’m excited a maths programme for children aged up to 12 such as The Maths Factor is available.
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From a professional, child and parent point of view Maths is now considerably harder! with new topics in the Primary curriculum and other topics to be taught to younger age groups. For example:
- all 12 times tables now have to be covered by the end of Year 4, whereas previously schools only had to teach 1-10 by the end of Year 5.
- Long division is now introduced in Year 5, whereas previously it was taught in secondary school.
The first year it was introduced we found it a challenge teaching our Year 6 children new ways of doing things ready to be tested in the SATs.
There will always be children who lack confidence in Maths and I think challenging a child’s mindset isn’t enough on its own to break down those barriers and bring change.
This is where I believe Maths programmes for children such as this one give immense value.
Subscription prices are reasonable.
New subscribers can now join free for 21 days.
What is The Maths Factor and how does it work?
The Maths Factor was set up by Carol Vorderman in 2010. In 2013 it was acquired by Pearson, the world’s leading education company, and in October 2014 it was re-launched, ready for tablets and ready for the new national curriculum.
It is an online maths tutoring site for 4-12 year olds. The site is used successfully by children all around the world.
The heart of the maths programme are short sessions designed for daily use. Each session starts with a lively video tutorial by Carol, followed by a fun warm-up and then a practice. There are over 1,000 of these sessions, arranged into 32 topics.
Not every child has the same learning style and needs. I love the extra features which provides supplementary learning and alternative approaches.
I particularly like Carol Vorderman’s 30 Day Maths Challenge which embeds good habits.
- Each day a session is completed lasting 10-15 minutes your child receives a tick.
- Achieve 30 ticks and to receive a 30 day challenge medal.
10 – 15 minutes per day is achievable isn’t it!
| If your child has struggled with a concept at school that day, or would just like some extra practise to boost their confidence, they can head straight to the after school club and find their chosen topic. Most importantly, it’s quick and fun….. Perfect for those children struggling for that little bit of extra motivation now they’ve gone back to school. |
Is it really possible to see a difference within 30 days?
The Maths Factor say YES!
6 out of 10 parents see an improvement in their child’s confidence within 30 days of first using the programme.
This rises to 8 out of 10 within 3 months.
It’s simply that more practice makes more progress. Children on this programme advance by up to 25 months in one year.
The worth for your child is priceless. Confidence AND progress.
There are five principles that are the foundation of The Maths Factor approach:
- A little bit every day! a short, daily session is the surest way to embed learning steadily and securely. The Maths Factor is structured to encourage this approach.
- Keep it fun! Every session comes with a fun ‘warm up’, which gets children into gear with more light-hearted questions before the formal practice. Every session ends with your child earning rewards – new marbles and a sums counter that can only go up.
- Time is the greatest gift Homework sessions can be one of the few times in the day when a child feels they’re getting 100% attention from a parent – particularly important in the younger age groups. Be patient and supervise your child through the early days.
- Use a combination of online and offline Use a tablet if you have one. Children love the instant interaction that comes with touchscreen technology. It allows them to engage all of their cognitive skills with the on-screen problem, without distraction.
But digital is not the only solution. Sometimes children also need the reassurance of working on paper and the learning that comes with physically writing out notes or an answer (this is how I learn best). - Parents build their own confidence with Maths Every parent not only gets a complete overview of every question answered and the progress being made, but the parents are taught too. For every module in the programme (there are about a half dozen modules in each topic), there is a special parent video, giving advice and tricks on supporting your child.
Charity Donations
After your child has completed their first 10 Maths Factor sessions, they can play Marble Pachinko!
Once a day, after your child has completed their daily maths session, all they have to do is put the marbles they have earned into the Marble Pachinko machine and try to drop the marbles into their favourite charity slot. There are three charities to choose from.
It’s a fantastic way to help keep your child motivated and feel instantly rewarded!
Do you have a child starting school? Or is this the ‘SATs year’? Is your child anxious about Maths?
The Maths Factor is a Maths programme for primary school aged children that works and it proves that yes, Maths can be fun!
In an ideal world, all primary school children should be given the opportunity to use maths programmes such as this.
There’s often great subscription deals available and with a 30 day money back guarantee it’s definitely worth trying The Maths Factor.
You’ll see your child progressing but I think it’s priceless seeing them more relaxed at the mention of Maths!
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