Have you ever wondered why your child insists they’ve never learned fractions at school—even though you clearly remember helping them with their fractions homework?

You’re not alone!

In fact, many teachers (myself included) can relate—and sometimes feel just as frustrated. We often watch children grasp a maths skill with confidence, only to find that just a few weeks later, they can no longer apply it in class or during a test.

This pattern isn’t new. Back in the 1880s, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus developed the forgetting curve, a theory that shows how memory fades over time without reinforcement.

At SMASH Maths, we refer to this as the learning retention curve, because it highlights how learning gradually fades when children don’t practise key skills regularly and systematically.

Learning retention declines with typical topic-based practice

Schools teach on a topic-by-topic basis

Often primary schools in the UK today teach on a traditional topic-by-topic basis. The Primary National Curriculum illustrates this by breaking down each year group’s curriculum into the following content topic domains:

– Number and place value

– Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (calculations)

– Fractions, decimals and percentages

– Ratio and proportion

– Algebra

– Measurement

– Geometry – properties of shapes

– Geometry – position and direction

– Statistics

Currently, around 90% of primary schools in the UK follow the White Rose Maths scheme. For example, the Year 4 planner organises learning into long topic blocks, where children focus exclusively on one area of the curriculum at a time.

As a result, and over time, once teachers complete a topic, children often don’t revisit it until it appears again in a maths test—sometimes weeks or even months later.

Understandably, and due to time constraints, teachers must move quickly to cover a broad and demanding curriculum.

However, and unfortunately, this topic-based approach limits children’s chances to revisit and deeply embed what they’ve already learned.

Furthermore, and more importantly, this issue isn’t limited to schools. In fact, most educational publishers also adopt a similar topic-by-topic structure in both their paper-based and digital resources.

Consequently, and in the long run, many pupils struggle to retain concepts and apply them confidently in unfamiliar situations.

Spiral Practice makes a big difference

At SMASH Maths, we take a different approach. Each and every week, children answer questions from all areas of the maths curriculum—not just one topic at a time. Thanks to this regular and varied practice, they steadily and confidently build stronger skills and more effectively retain knowledge over time.

Importantly and interestingly, this method aligns closely with research into how we learn—and how we forget. Back in the late 1800s, psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus introduced the now well-known concept of the forgetting curve. He proposed that both the difficulty of the material and the way it’s presented, along with physiological factors like stress and sleep, affect how quickly we forget.

Fortunately and notably, researchers later confirmed the effectiveness of one of Ebbinghaus’s key strategies: spaced repetition. At SMASH Maths, we expand on this idea and refer to it as spiral practice.

Spiral practice involves revisiting key concepts at regular and structured intervals using a clear and systematic approach. As a result, children repeatedly reinforce their understanding over time. Consequently and confidently, they’re far more likely to remember and apply what they’ve learned—both in class and under test conditions.

Learning Retention Graph, showing how SMASH Maths Spiral Practice helps students to retain their learning.

Several different studies have proven the effectiveness of this approach, notably the 2007 study by Pashler, Rohrer, Cepeda, and Carpenter which showed that students given spiral practice scored more highly on maths tests versus a traditional topic based practice.

As a maths consultant, I too have first-hand experience on the impact this strategy can have on improving students’ maths results in schools and have used it with great success.

This is why my colleague, Trevor Dixon, and I are passionate about bringing this method of teaching to children and parents digitally. We believe this method gives every child a great opportunity to become confident and successful mathematicians.

How does SMASH Maths use the Spiral Curriculum?

At SMASH Maths, we design our Spiral Practice around the principle of spaced repetition to help all primary-aged students achieve the best possible results.

– First and foremost, we revisit all topics regularly—not just the tricky ones, but also those that may seem simple but are often overlooked. This repeated and consistent exposure strengthens understanding and greatly enhances retention over time.

In our experience as teachers, even the basics need regular reinforcement. Children benefit from repeated practice of core maths facts and foundational skills.

– Additionally, our practices become more challenging as the year progresses. By spacing practice at regular intervals, pupils build confidence and are better prepared to apply their knowledge to a range of increasingly complex problems.

This approach also supports the three key aims of the National Primary Maths Curriculum:

Problem Solving – applying maths to real-world and unfamiliar contexts, breaking down problems, and persevering for solutions.

Fluency – developing strong number sense and the ability to recall and apply knowledge quickly and accurately.

Reasoning – explaining thinking, spotting patterns, and forming logical arguments using mathematical language.

1. Fluency in Fundamentals
2. Pupils build fluency in the fundamentals of mathematics through varied and frequent practice. Over time, they tackle increasingly complex problems. This helps them develop strong conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge quickly and accurately.
3. Mathematical Reasoning
4. Pupils learn to reason mathematically by exploring patterns, forming ideas, and making generalisations. They develop arguments, justify their thinking, and explain their reasoning using accurate mathematical language.
5. Problem Solving
6. Pupils are taught to apply their maths skills to both routine and non-routine problems. They learn to break down complex tasks into manageable steps and persevere until they reach a solution.
7. [Maths Programme of Study Key Stage 1 and 2, 2013, p.3]
8. This approach not only helps them master the expectations for their year group but also equips them for success in national maths SATs, as well as 7+ and 11+ exam-style questions—where problems are often presented in unfamiliar and more challenging formats.

– We closely align all our practice to the UK maths curriculum schemes of work.

– Most importantly, at SMASH Maths we take great care and consideration in devising each practice. We send two SMASH Maths practices straight to your inbox every week. Each one covers all areas of the maths curriculum—unlike other digital or paper products that focus on just one topic at a time.

All topics covered every week by SMASH Maths Practices

This approach helps children build confidence, improve their maths results, and—most importantly—eliminates the classic excuse of “I’ve never learned this before!” Whether it’s fractions or any other skill, regular exposure means it sticks.

I would love to hear your thoughts! Please email me at sarahanne@smashmaths.org and share this blog with friends and family.

Comparison Table: Topic-Based Learning vs Spiral Practice

FAQs

1. What is spiral practice in maths?
Spiral practice is a learning approach where children regularly revisit a wide range of topics throughout the year, rather than studying one topic at a time in long blocks. This repeated exposure strengthens memory, boosts retention, and improves long-term understanding.

2. How is spiral practice different from traditional topic-based learning?
Traditional learning focuses on one topic for several weeks and then moves on, often without regular review. Spiral practice, by contrast, ensures every topic is revisited frequently, helping children retain knowledge and apply skills more confidently.

3. How often do children receive SMASH Maths practices?
Children receive two SMASH Maths practices every week, each covering all curriculum areas. This consistent routine reinforces learning and builds confidence over time.

4. Does spiral practice help with SATs and entrance exams?
Yes. Because spiral practice exposes children to a wide range of question types regularly including more challenging and unfamiliar formats it helps prepare them effectively for national maths SATs, 7+, and 11+ exams.

5. Is SMASH Maths aligned with the UK National Curriculum?
Absolutely. All SMASH Maths practices are closely aligned with the UK Primary National Curriculum and common schemes of work, ensuring children get the right level of content at the right time.

Conclusion

Helping children retain their maths learning isn’t just about teaching concepts it’s about revisiting them often enough for the knowledge to “stick.” While traditional topic-based learning has its place, it doesn’t provide the regular reinforcement children need to build deep, lasting understanding. Spiral practice, on the other hand, aligns with decades of cognitive science research and gives pupils the consistent exposure required to grow in confidence and mastery.

At SMASH Maths, we’re passionate about bringing this powerful approach into homes and classrooms, ensuring every child has the opportunity to become a capable, resilient, and confident mathematician. With varied weekly practices covering the full curriculum, children are better equipped not only for tests, but for using maths in meaningful, real-world situations.

You can purchase SMASH Maths Spiral Practice at smashmaths.org