A significant number of primary school children are struggling with maths, and nearly one in five primary teachers think its likely due to unidentified dyscalculia, according to this YouGov report by GL Assessment.
Dyscalculia is a learning difficulty that affects a person's ability to understand and work with numbers, similar to how dyslexia impacts reading skills. The report found that 19% suspect students in their class may have unidentified dyscalculia, while 57% report widespread maths anxiety that is hindering children's progress.
While the British Dyslexia Association and National Numeracy estimate dyscalculia affects 6% of the population, primary school teachers' observations suggest the prevalence in classrooms could be three times higher, which means many cases go undiagnosed.
The report also highlights issues outside the classroom. Over half (53%) of the teachers surveyed believe a lack of home support is a major obstacle, with many parents not having the knowledge to help their children with maths. This, teachers say, is contributing to difficulties by the time students leave primary school.
Curriculum challenges are also a concern. Seventy-nine per cent of teachers say they find it difficult to cover the full maths syllabus in the time provided. Nearly two in five (39%) struggle with deciding which areas to prioritise. Eighty-two per cent believe the curriculum needs to be updated to make maths more relevant to younger learners.