To think he should be able to understand maths more by now?

[Echobelly]

DS (6 and a half and August baby in Y2) seems to be getting more and more behind with maths. He has some homework about division and I literally did not know how I could do it with him because he is still struggling with the basics about adding and subtracting or even being sure which numbers 20+ are bigger than others. He doesn't seem to understand what anyone is even getting at with maths, basically. He can sometimes seem to grasp things, but then never retains the knowledge from one day to the next.

Just to be clear, I'm not expecting him to be a maths genius, and I think it's stupid we start kids on formal education so early in this country, but I was hoping that maybe there'd be a breakthrough by now where he started to see what maths is, IYSWIM, whereas it all seems totally foreign to him. Has anyone had a kid who didn't at all get maths by this age and did it click for them later?

School have been doing some focused work with him and don't seem too worried, but I wonder if he manages to cover some of his difficulties by 'parroting' in class. We are seeing the teacher responsible this week anyway and I know DH wants to take them to task (guess I'll be 'good cop'!). I want to raise whether we should talk about possible dyscalculia, but I don't know if that's premature or I'm just being 'that parent' who wants a medical-based explanation!

Basic division is a form of subtraction . Buy him a pack of chocolate buttons/m and m's and ask him to share them out between the family/siblings in piles or bowls.

It may be worth considering a tutor if you can afford it and are worried about him falling behind.

I believe that most people who think they are bad at maths just never got taught well or developed a mental block early and lost confidence.

If you don't want to go down the tutor route there are many resources you can get online and work through with him. Sparklebox is a good place to start.

Hope this is some help.

As an aside it does frustrate me that people want to "take teachers to task" without putting the effort in at home.

Teachers are often under enormous strain and schooling is only a small part of a child's education.

Orchard toys also sell some great maths games at a very fair price.

It could be that maths isn't his forte and he has just got a bit left behind with it all in class and is now out of his depth. I agree with some op to get some maths based games and try and take him back to basics.

It may be the teacher hadn't realised how far behind he has got so definitely a meeting would be good to raise your concerns and work out together the best way to help him both at school and at home. Key I would think at this age is to keep him interested. If he starts getting too overwhelmed it may put him off altogether.

Don't worry, no one was taken to task in the end, thankfully!

We really need to make a meeting with head of learning and class teacher together, but are having to rearrange as my DH is starting a job on totally the other side of London next week, so will be tricky.

Anyway, head of learning seems fairly satisfied with maths and says we might be reassured by his class books - they have him at 'working towards' targets for maths, whereas he's below only in handwriting, which I'd expect. I'm honestly surprised he's not working below in maths. We did suggest that with class maths, he is working on one thing at a time but you might find if you tried to revise things with him, he wouldn't remember them.

I can see why they are less worried about maths as honestly, when a child just Doesn't Really Get It, there may not be much you can do until they are ready.

I'm increasingly thinking not dyscalculia as I think there is enough going on to suggest that he has the potential to grasp maths.

And importantly, he is happy at school and HoL tonight (and class teacher late last year) have said he has come on loads in maturity and independence this year.