Helping children with maths anxiety

During a training session I attended last night, the facilitator mentioned an increase in children experiencing what is known as 'maths anxiety'. This got me thinking. When children start maths tuition with me at Bright Sparks Learning Hub, they do appear very anxious around the subject! This, understandably, impedes progress when they are at school.

Maths anxiety is more common than people think. It’s not just about disliking the subject; it’s a real fear or worry that gets in the way of learning. Some children freeze up during lessons, feel sick before tests or avoid maths altogether! Left unaddressed, this anxiety can have a long-term impact on confidence and progress.

What causes maths anxiety?

There’s no single cause, but a few common triggers include:

• A fear of getting things wrong

• Negative past experiences

• Pressure to keep up with others

• A fast-paced classroom where they don’t feel safe to ask questions (this is mostly down to teachers being placed under immense pressure to move through the curriculum quickly)

• Children who think they’re “just bad at maths” often stop trying altogether. They believe everyone else understands it easily and that they’re the only one struggling.

  
  

  What are the signs?

  
  

  Maths anxiety can look different from child to child. Some signs to look out for include:

  
  

  • Complaining of headaches or stomach aches during maths lessons

  • Frequently asking to go to the toilet during maths lessons

  • Refusing to do homework or take part in class

  • Crying or becoming frustrated when practising maths at home

  • Relying heavily on others to check or complete answers

  
  

  If a child’s confidence is low, even small setbacks can feel huge. They might dread lessons and convince themselves they’ll never ‘get it’.

  
  

  What helps?

  
  

   The good news is that children can overcome maths anxiety with the right support.

  
  

  • Slow things down

    Give them time to think without pressure

    
    

  • Praise effort, not speed 

    Focus on what they’ve done well, even if the answer isn’t perfect. Although speed of recall is important, it is important not to focus on this while building up their confidence.

    
    

  • Use practical activities 

    Games and hands-on resources can help reduce fear and make maths feel less abstract

    
    

  • Normalise mistakes 

    Show that getting things wrong is part of learning. So important!

    Break tasks into steps 

    One question at a time is less overwhelming than a whole worksheet

    
    

  • Put maths into everyday situations 

    Let them practise without the pressure of a worksheet. Get them to measure ingredients for cooking, work out change in a shop or estimate how long it will take to walk somewhere. These everyday experiences help make maths feel useful, real and less intimidating.

How Bright Sparks Learning Hub can help

At Bright Sparks Learning Hub, I work with children who’ve lost confidence in maths. My sessions are small, friendly and focused on making progress without pressure. We build fluency through games, talk through problems step-by-step and celebrate the small wins that lead to big changes.

Tuition gives anxious learners a chance to ask questions in a safe space, take their time and feel seen. With the right approach, they often go from “I can’t do this” to “I’m getting the hang of it” faster than they expected.

If your child dreads maths, don’t wait for it to get better on its own. Let’s rebuild their confidence one step at a time!