How One School Reversed Poor Maths Results Fast

Australia’s school system is facing a critical maths crisis, with one in three students failing to meet national proficiency levels. But a primary school in regional New South Wales turned things around in just a year by overhauling the way it teaches maths, showing that targeted changes could lead to national improvements. This shift could finally challenge decades of stagnation, though it may displace long accepted teaching methods.

Australia has been lagging behind other developed nations like Singapore and the UK in maths performance for years. Despite large investments in education, many students are still finishing school without sufficient numeracy skills to succeed in the workforce. A recent report by a public policy think tank suggests as many as 1.3 million students are at risk of falling short, not just due to socioeconomic challenges, but also because of how maths is taught in classrooms.

The core issue, according to the report, lies in outdated or untested teaching methods. Instead of focusing on foundational skills, many schools rely on discovery-based strategies that assume children learn best through exploration. But one school bucked the trend in 2019 by switching to explicit instruction, where teachers break down concepts step by step, model them clearly, and ensure students master each one before moving on. Within a year, their students outperformed similar schools not just in maths but also in literacy. It's a method rooted in brain science, focusing on how information moves into long-term memory.

While this school's success story looks promising, broader reform depends on political will and system wide consistency. The federal government now requires tangible improvements in maths and reading for schools to access added funding. However, results will vary unless more schools adopt high impact practices and closely monitor student progress. Getting there may be uncomfortable, especially for educators trained in older methods, but the data suggests the payoff could be transformational - particularly for disadvantaged students.

Source: Australian Financial Review, Acer, Grattan