Are you a parent of a child in Year 5 or Year 6?
Are you unsure about how to help your child build confidence in Maths?
Are you worried that traditional methods like worksheets and rote memorization aren't enough to help them transition into secondary school level education?
In my series of posts "Helping Your Child Excel in Maths: A Fresh Approach for KS2 Learners in 2025", I’ll share my top tips, as a tutor and experienced former teacher, for helping your child excel in Maths by fostering curiosity, confidence, and an appreciation for the importance of Maths in how we navigate the world.
TIP 1: CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING.
In Key Stage 2 the emphasis in schools is to build a solid understanding of foundation mathematical concepts by exploring what they represent, how they connect and how we can use them to solve complex problems.
For example,
What do we mean by a “fraction”, “decimal” or “percentage”?
How are they interconnected and
How do we use them in the real world?
This approach not only builds mathematical skills but also nurtures critical thinking and problem-solving abilities—essential tools for success in secondary school and beyond.
How Parents Can Help:Research in developmental psychology consistently shows that children in upper primary school learn most effectively through exploration, asking questions, and play. To support this, consider stepping away from endless worksheets and drill-based learning. Instead, try engaging your child with:
Manipulatives: Use objects like bar models, cubes, or blocks to help them visualize and explore mathematical concepts.
Creative Puzzles: Introduce them to tangram puzzles, Sudoku, and other logic-based activities that encourage thinking outside the box.
Real-World Problems: Pose questions like, “If we split this pizza into eighths, how many slices is each person getting if we share it equally?” or “What’s the best deal at the supermarket based on price per unit?”
The goal is to help your child see Maths as more than just numbers on a page—it’s a tool for understanding patterns, solving problems, and making sense of the world.
By fostering a spirit of curiosity and exploration, you can empower your child to approach Maths with confidence and interest. After all, real learning begins when they connect ideas, ask questions, and discover answers for themselves!
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