What maths support should schools provide?
Safety in Numbers: For Parents of Children with Maths DifficultiesShow Notes
If you've ever left a parents' evening reassured, only to watch your child struggle just as much at home the following week, this episode is for you. I look at why "my child is getting support" and "my child's support is actually working" aren't the same thing, and what tends to get in the way of the second one, without any of it being anyone's fault. I also cover the different, less obvious shapes a maths difficulty can take at school: the helpful child, the funny one, the child who's called lazy or easily distracted, and why a parent is often the one person who can see what's really going on underneath.
We cover: Two real examples of "support" that looked the same from the outside but weren't doing the same job Why more practice and more explanation don't always reach the actual difficulty What the research says about how much dyscalculia-specific training teachers actually receive The different ways a maths difficulty can hide behind a child's behaviour, without anyone realising that's what's happening A better question to ask school than "is my child getting enough support?" What good support actually looks like day to day, so you know what to listen for What to do if those conversations with school aren't getting you anywhere
If you've been unsure what to expect from school, or how to ask for what your child actually needs, this episode should leave you with a clearer, more specific way in.
Links: SENDIASS: www.sendiass.org IPSEA: www.ipsea.org.uk
Free companion guide A short, practical guide with the questions from this episode written out, so you've got something to take into a conversation with school. Download it free at aedds.co.uk/podcast.
References: Loughborough University. (2026). Teachers receive limited dyscalculia training. https://www.lboro.ac.uk/news-events/news/2026/february/teachers-receive-limited-dyscalculia-training/ Monahan, F., O'Connor Bones, U., Taggart, L., McDowell, C., & Mulhall, P. (2025). Supporting children with dyslexia in primary school settings through effective professional development of teachers and classroom assistants: An international scoping review. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 25(4), 1067–1088. Roulstone, A., Morsanyi, K., LÊ, M.-L., Tomasetto, C., Erasmus, P., Tsabedze, W., & Bahnmueller, J. (2026). What do educators know about dyscalculia in the UK, Italy, Vietnam and South Africa? Neurodiversity, 4, 1–17.
Next episode: We move closer to home, and look at how to talk about maths with your child without it becoming a source of tension.
Safety in Numbers is a podcast for parents of children with dyscalculia and maths difficulties.
Website: www.aedds.co.uk/podcast Facebook group: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551091072526
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