Maths factor and similar

[wearymum200]

I'm after opinions on maths factor and similar. Does mathsfactor only revise topics already known and covered or is there enough detail to allow a child to pick up a topic from new? Having looked at the "camps", I couldn't see one which exactly fitted either dc, so wasn't sure if going "up" a camp would be impossible for them.

Thanks (and I'm not a pushy parent honestly, both dc enjoy doing maths)

Hi weary

I fear I probably am the self-appointed Mathsfactor bore here on MN. I'm a big fan - has worked wonders with DD1 who left KS1 on NC L1 in maths and now in Year 6 (having started Mathsfactor May of Y2) just sat L6 in maths (the school requested this of DD1 and us). Our school has little or no maths homework and official policy now is not to send home times table practices - so we turned to this to 'fill the gap'...

There are other programmes out there (maths whizz/ mathletics/ Komodo Maths/ Kahn Academy/ etc....) so don't feel this is just it.

However, in terms of Mathsfactor....

You seem to be looking at either the review (www.themathsfactor.com/revisionclubs/ or summer school www.themathsfactor.com/summerschools/ or multiplication school www.themathsfactor.com/summerschools/ options - these are one-off, short-term options that cover the subjects on the national curriculum at that stage or in that topic).

If you want a more tailored version than you do have to subscribe to arithmetic school www.themathsfactor.com/summerschools/ - this is more expensive (monthly subscription but I think there is a discount if you pay for the entire year) - but it will test your kid and start from where they are at - building up slowly from what they can do (maybe your child can order numbers, add to twenty but struggles to subtract - so it will start with a subtraction unit and work through from there). Because there was some complaining you now also have the option of changing the topic order as a parent - which can be useful if the school is covering decimals now and your DC wants to work on that now too.

Some of the sections (particularly multiplication/ long mulitplication/ long division) do seem to go on and on - but I think you need to 'keep the faith' that this is about absolutely ensuring your child gets it. You may feel different, but I do agree that it is little weaknesses at this level of basic calculation skills that really let you down with more complicated algebra, trigonometry, calculus later.

Certainly I have never regretted a penny of the monthly subscription - best thing I ever did for DDs in terms of supporting maths.

HTH