FEATURE FOCUS: MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING engaging parents and carers.


to keep up with expected levels? Student questionnaires and surveys are often revealing, and useful for schools to understand the scale of the challenge, identify patterns and create preventative strategies.


Extending the dialogue to parents can also help shed valuable light on the issue, giving the best chance possible to offer targeted interventions.


“Spread the message: maths is meaningful” Irrespective of the numbers experiencing maths anxiety in your setting, a positive whole-school approach to maths will benefit everyone – and the associations you build together will play a key part in creating this.


Positive stories


Mathematicians boast a wealth of incredible achievements across history, gender, race, background and ability. How much of this diversity are your students hearing about? Could the resources you use be doing more to inspire and increase the relevancy of maths in learners’ lives?


Do learners know the name of Al’Khwarizmi, the 8th century Persian polymath celebrated as the father of algebra? Are they familiar with the work of Gladys West, the African American whose achievements led to the GPS which powers our phones and SatNav? Breaking away from the dusty stereotype of mathematicians as “dead, white men with beards” is especially important for female students, given that women are more than twice as anxious as men about using maths and numbers. We have an important responsibility to show them that the maths narrative is broad, exciting, and is an inclusive space for them too. Our “Your Future in Maths” series showcases individuals in diverse and interesting careers that use maths from a cameraperson to a weather forecaster.


Positive images


Displays about the amazing power of maths can make a big difference – and be sure not to confine these to maths classroom walls alone. The whole school can be your canvas. Invite students to get creative here: get them involved in searching for wonderful stories that pivot on the value of mathematics. This might include creating a poster on the numbers behind the UK’s journey towards sustainability; the statistics of their favourite places; even


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the algorithms behind their favourite website or influencer.


By highlighting real-life, relevant contexts for maths, your school can spread the message that the subject matters, is meaningful, and is a core part of education worth everyone’s attention.


Positive language


What happens when students are struggling in a class? Are they reprimanded for this or encouraged? Can they – or even your colleagues – say negative statements like “I can’t do maths” without it being challenged and discussed? Being mindful of the language we use around maths is vital for reducing the risk of anxiety. Wherever possible, avoid the use of words like “right” or “wrong”; avoid flagging learner problems in front of the class; help everyone see there are many different ways to engage with maths.


Central to these ideas is the concept of the “growth mindset” – a mindset that facilitates growth and learning by giving students space to make mistakes, go back, leap forward, get stuck and ask for help.


Similarly, it is worth highlighting to students that maths contains a huge range of different topics and areas. They might dislike trigonometry, but what about statistics? Perhaps algebra isn’t their favourite. How about programming?


Positive spaces


It is beneficial to create positive spaces in schools and settings where the challenge of maths can be seen as rewarding, not off-putting.


Some top tips to support this include:


• Open, non-judgemental times for discussion of problems.


• Create break times within lessons for students to pause and reflect.


• Play calming music at different points in class. • Encourage breathing exercises when stress levels seem to be high.


• Remove time-pressures for some mental arithmetic.


• Create multiple opportunities for learners to work in groups and explore new concepts together.


Some of these tips can be invaluable for supporting the home environment. This brings us to a critical point: we cannot forget the power of


“The best schools with the best outcomes engage parents and carers in learning too.” The reality is, that a parent who is anxious about maths will very often pass on this anxiety to the child, whether they know it or not. While it can sometimes feel like teachers are asked to take on all of society’s problems, addressing maths anxiety in parents and carers can make a real difference for children and young people. Polling from Parentkind found that 38% of parents said that their child had experienced some kind of anxiety and showed high levels of concern among parents that it could become a problem. Where maths is a particular trigger, challenging worries and supporting learning needs can make a huge difference. Jason Elsom, CEO at Parentkind says “Too often, it is assumed that parents understand everything a child is being taught at school and can support that learning; this assumption is a big mistake. The best schools with the best outcomes will engage the parents in learning too, so that they can at least encourage their child and at best assist them and help them move forward.” “Parents can do lots of things to encourage a love of maths, like using positive language, sitting with their child while homework is being done and joining them in problem-solving. It’s absolutely fine that parents and children don’t know the answers to maths problems - but doing the research together and overcoming those problems can be transformative.”


We have an important opportunity to embrace growth mindsets for our learners to encourage curiosity and value mistakes as part of the learning process, as well as recognising that maths encompasses a vast array of creative and interesting topics.


By reshaping the narrative around maths, instilling positive attitudes, and adapting the language we use in maths, we can pave the way for a generation that sees maths as a meaningful and essential part of their lives. Through collective efforts – at school and at home - we can empower students to overcome maths anxiety, unlock their full potential and foster a love for maths.


How to talk about maths


• Choose positive words that encourage curiosity and exploration in the subject.


• Avoid black-and-white statements that tell learners there is only “right” or “wrong”.


• Reassure students of the importance of making mistakes to learn new concepts.


• Make space for inclusive group discussions in class.


• Emphasise the diversity of the subject, its learners and its pioneers.


• Try never to put a student on the spot in front of others.


• Steer clear of punitive language that can trigger a handbrake on learning.


• Use real-life, relatable contexts that speak to your students’ experiences.


• Invite collaboration with leading maths- lovers in your community and the sector.


• Highlight the universal importance of the subject in their lives as young people and adults.


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