Your child will soon move from primary to secondary school. They can answer some Maths questions confidently, yet homework involving fractions or word problems ends in frustration. You wonder whether they will be ready for Year 7.

If you are a Nigerian or African parent in the UK, you may also be trying to make sense of the school’s feedback. A test score tells you how your child performed on one assessment. It does not always show which skill needs attention first.

You can start finding that out now. Ask your child to show you a question they found difficult, then listen as they explain where they got stuck.

What Maths should a Year 6 child be working on?

England’s Year 6 Maths curriculum includes written methods for the four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio and early algebraic thinking. By the end of Year 6, pupils should have developed fluency in core calculations as well as the ability to use Maths to solve problems.

That is a lot to hold together. A child might multiply whole numbers correctly but struggle when decimals appear. Another might calculate accurately yet have no idea which operation a word problem requires.

These children need different support, even if their latest test marks are similar.

Five signs that reveal a Maths gap

1. Your child counts through calculations they should understand

They may know their times tables when asked directly but pause over every multiplication inside a longer question. Check whether they understand how numbers fit together, as well as whether they can recall an answer.

For example, if 6 × 8 = 48, can they use that to work out 48 ÷ 6? Seeing the connection can help them approach less familiar calculations.

2. Fractions, decimals and percentages feel like separate subjects

Ask your child what ½, 0.5 and 50% mean. Can they explain why these represent the same amount?

A pupil who has memorised three procedures may still be unsure what the numbers mean. Using a simple diagram or a real example can reveal whether the difficulty is with the concept or with the calculation.

3. They can do sums but freeze on word problems

Suppose a question says: A £24 book has a quarter of its price taken off. What is the new price?

Your child may know how to find a quarter of 24 but still be unsure what to do afterward. Ask them:

• What is the question asking us to find?
• What does “a quarter of its price” mean?
• After finding the discount, what happens next?

A quarter of £24 is £6, so the new price is £18. The important skill is recognising the two steps, not just calculating 24÷424 ÷ 4.

4. A small error changes the whole answer

Watch for misplaced decimal points, errors in written division or a number copied incorrectly from the question. Ask your child to estimate first. If they expect an answer near 20 but calculate 200, the estimate gives them a reason to check.

5. Your child has stopped trying

“I’m bad at Maths” can become a way to avoid another upsetting homework session. Choose one question they can begin and let them explain that first step. Finding a manageable starting point helps you learn what support they need.

Are the Year 6 Maths SATs the main concern?

In England, the end-of-key-stage-2 Maths assessment includes an arithmetic paper and two reasoning papers. The published 2026 materials show the kinds of questions used in each.

The tests matter, but your child also needs to carry their understanding into secondary school. If they repeatedly struggle with fractions or cannot explain a multi-step problem, practising only test papers may leave that difficulty in place.

Ask the teacher what your child’s classwork shows alongside any practice-test results.

What should parents do before Year 7?

Speak to the Year 6 teacher. Ask: “Which two Maths skills should we focus on before secondary school?” A short, specific answer is easier to act on than “practise more Maths.”

Look at marked work together. Find the first wrong step in two or three questions. Notice whether the same difficulty appears again.

Keep practice focused. Spend a short session on one skill, then ask your child to use it in a new problem. For example, practise what a percentage means before tackling several percentage word problems.

Share useful information with the new school. If your child has a persistent difficulty, ask how the transition information will be passed on and whom you can speak to when they start Year 7.

When would a Year 6 Maths tutor help?

A tutor may help if your child repeatedly gets stuck on the same ideas, homework has become stressful or you want a clearer picture of their starting point before secondary school.

Bring a recent piece of schoolwork. A useful tutor will identify the underlying gap, teach it in a way your child can explain, and then check whether they can solve a different question independently. Ask for feedback on what your child can now do, as well as what still needs practice.

Is your Year 6 child struggling with Maths before secondary school? Glareminds offers one-to-one online tutoring for children in the UK. Tell us which questions cause difficulty and share a recent assignment so we can discuss a focused plan for your child.