The University of Kent defines non-verbal reasoning (NVR) as ‘the ability to understand and analyse visual information and solve problems using visual reasoning’. It also states that the development of this particular skill ‘enables students to analyse and solve complex problems without relying upon, or being limited by, language skills’. Such tests allow examination providers…
Governors of Twydall Primary (Gillingham) voted on Friday on whether to convert the school to an academy run by the Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT) – against the vast majority of parents wishes expressed in a consultation. The school has been in special measures since May 2014. Yesterday morning Alex Ward was talking on BBC…
You may have read the Sunday Times article this weekend (a front-page commentary written by Tim Shipman and Sian Griffiths), about the ‘war on innumeracy’ that could take place over the next few years. The article states that ‘at present the UK ranks 23rd for reading, and 26th for maths in international league tables for…
Parents often comment on how they have either forgotten the maths they learnt at school, or they did not learn maths the way their children are now taught in school. They have said that maths scares them and they do not feel able to help their child when they are stuck on a maths problem.…
Back in the 1960s, Maths changed. A new, more progressive form of mathematics was introduced. It arose out of a focus on pupil-centred learning and an attempt to adapt teaching styles to how it was believed children actually learned things. Much of this was good, but it has also led to a very muddled and…