FAQs

The Advanced Student Honour Roll shows that students are working at a level 6 months (ASHR1), 2 years (ASHR2) and 3 years (ASHR3) above the Kumon International Standard (KIS). KIS can be thought of as working at school level having mastered the previous levels. At the enrolment of the students I would have shown you a Projection Graph which shows these levels (below). So many students just starting out will be working towards KIS and then working towards the higher levels.

Kumon Instructors do not teach in the conventional sense. At Kumon our aim is to enable students to develop the mindset and skills for self-learning and to encourage them to find solutions on their own which will give them skills for life.

Kumon Instructors do not teach in front of the class, it is actually the worksheets which are designed to do the “teaching,” through examples and instructions, with the careful guidance and support of the Instructor. When a student attempts work they have not seen before, they are guided to look at and go through the example on the page, and follow the steps outlined in the questions that follow. The Instructor will have identified that the student is doing something new and be close to the student when they are looking at this example and attempting the question. They will guide the student as appropriate to ensure they gain the correct understanding of the work, while also allowing them to think for themselves. When the student makes a mistake, they will also guide them to correct their own work by looking through the question and their working out, and using the questions they have already completed correctly, to get to the right answer; thus encouraging them to further develop their abilities to problem solve and find the answer for themselves.

We pay close attention to the student’s mastery of each learning foci and assign repetition as required, ensuring academic ability is developed according to the individual ability of the student and that the student can progress naturally without overexerting themselves.

In order to ensure each student progresses smoothly, it is essential for us to keep them motivated. To do this, we pursue the ‘just-right’ level of study by establishing an appropriate starting point, setting a study projection, and assigning a suitable number of worksheets and amount of repetition.

Good communication with the student and with you, their parent/guardian, is vital for motivation also.

At Kumon we focus on developing good study habits such as good posture, keeping the worksheet straight, holding the page with their non-writing hand so it doesn’t slip, as these are all factors proven to aid concentration and help students study effectively. Our students will also develop a good pace, rhythm and build up their stamina, focus and therefore concentration for prolonged periods of study or for the study of material they find difficult or less interesting.

As they do this they develop their ability to work for themselves and experience success as they discover they are able to tackle advanced-level work. In this way we encourage a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude to study.

You may be starting to consider your child taking the 11+ exams and what the results of that could mean for their future education. There are many ways that Kumon study supports our students by giving them a solid grounding in the skills and attitude needed to tackle these exams.

The 11+ exam is typically made up of the following four categories: verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English, and maths. The 11+ tests do vary around the country, so it is best for us to look at what test schools in this local education authority are using.

The verbal reasoning and vocabulary section is intended to assess a child’s problem solving skills when working at speed, and also to test how effectively they can process information.

The non-verbal reasoning tests are used to test a child’s aptitude levels. They do not require any prior knowledge and can be used to determine a child's potential to think logically and recognise patterns. It includes processing pictorial information, applying logical thinking and problem-solving skills, using spatial awareness, finding and following patterns and rules and working systematically.

The English section of the 11+ exam most likely covers comprehension of a prose passage, creative/descriptive/original writing, proofreading, multiple choice questions and punctuation and grammar.

The maths section consists of a variety of pure maths and applied maths questions.

So how does Kumon help?

The Kumon English Programme develops:

· Good study skills – determination, resilience, and the willingness to have a go

· A positive attitude towards studying and sitting tests

· The ability to apply the skills learned across a variety of topics and subjects.

· The ability to read the questions carefully and follow directions, using examples to determine how to approach something

· The ability to find key information in the question to answer quickly and efficiently and reasoning skills

· A broad vocabulary and good verbal reasoning and subject knowledge

· A child’s experience of sitting regular level assessments, reading and working through question sheets and performing well in tests.

The Kumon Maths and English Programmes allow students to build on key skills and knowledge one step at a time so that they are fully prepared to sit the 11+ entrance exam and thrive in their desired secondary school from Year 7.

Stephen McConkey, a head teacher and author of the Learning Together practice books, said: “The best thing you can do to improve your child’s verbal reasoning is encourage them to read. Children who read widely have a big head-start, as they’re building their vocabulary and general knowledge.”

Students studying the Kumon English Programme are also encouraged to read a variety of books from the Kumon Recommended Reading List and are doing just as Stephen suggests.

The non-verbal reasoning questions are based upon mathematical concepts such as symmetry, rotation, mirroring, shape, size and direction. Rather than being predominately word-based, these questions use diagrams.

Books can be purchased that contain practice books and papers are an excellent way to prepare a child over the preceding months before the tests. Just like a Kumon assessment paper, doing practice papers will allow you to identify any areas that require a little refinement or, just more practice! If there are areas of knowledge that the child really has not covered either at school or at Kumon, then identifying these early on will allow you to plan ahead to incorporate this in their study before the test. Kumon students are likely to be open to learning something new, are willing to grasp new concepts and if they haven’t covered something before, are familiar with utilising their existing skills to work things out for themselves.

Kumon students will be able to utilise the following skills to achieve success:

· Confidence in tackling unfamiliar work and taking on new challenges

· Strong study skills, such as focus, concentration, pace and stamina

· Experience of following examples and using them to extend their learning

Stephen McConkey said: “It’s important that they have a good grasp of the basic principles of maths. They need to be good – and quick – at addition and subtraction, know all their number bonds and times tables, have resilience and a positive attitude, and the ability to focus on the work in hand.”

Students will cover the pure maths questions in their Kumon studies; long addition, subtraction, and multiplication appear, which feature from level B to level D.

We work with students to build their capacity for learning and instil in them a “can-do” attitude. This, coupled with the maths skills they have developed, provide a strong foundation for those students who are faced with new challenges.

The Kumon English Programme supports the English paper in many ways. The students are introduced to a wide variety of texts, which gives them a wider understanding of writing and its structure. They are used to reading to find information and are also exposed to a wide range of vocabulary.

Through the texts they have been exposed to, our students have a broader knowledge of the world, which enables them to write about a variety of subjects.

The Kumon Maths Programme gives students an excellent grounding in pure maths. For applied maths questions students will need to understand time, measurements and weights, which we do not cover in the Kumon worksheets.

You can find support for these topics with practice papers and available study guides. However, a solid foundation in pure maths is essential to success in applied maths.

Our students also have the ability to complete pure maths questions quickly and efficiently, giving them more time and confidence when completing the applied maths questions.

So, whilst we may not explicitly give 11+ exam practice, we are certainly equipping our students with many of the skills required for success in this, and many other exams.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/multiplication-tables-check-development-process#try-it-out-area

#1 How Kumon helps: Good Study Attitude

A child’s study attitude can fluctuate, and the Kumon class plays an important part in motivating students. By coming to the centre each week, we allow students the chance to refocus, change their energy and to bring a fresh attitude to their study when needed. This positive attitude and confidence in their own ability are what’s required when sitting down to take a test too.

#2 How Kumon helps: Working under timed conditions

All exams and tests require time management and your child is already encouraged to be aware of their own Kumon booklet completion times. At Kumon, students are required to note their start and finish times on their Kumon booklets and are encouraged to work at a steady rhythm which helps them to keep their concentration without becoming distracted or stuck on one question for too long.

#3 How Kumon helps: Working with pace and rhythm

Your Kumon Instructor will encourage your child to work with a good rhythm and at a steady pace. Learning to do this means that the child’s flow and ability to concentrate on a piece of work for a period of time improves. This is an invaluable skill during school tests, but also in life as an adult too!

#4 How Kumon helps: Working in a quiet and focused manner

The Kumon classroom is laid out in such a way as to cause the least distraction to students. In this way, they are best able to focus on their study and not be concerned with others around them. A quiet, focused atmosphere, like the one they will have in an exam hall, will be nothing new to a Kumon student!

#5 How Kumon helps: Figuring out things for themselves

Exam papers usually test a pupil’s ability to interpret questions properly and then work out or create an answer based on their knowledge. Kumon students are encouraged to think deeply and to always ‘have a go’. By figuring things out for themselves, they learn to trust the foundations of their knowledge, without feeling concerned or stressed about the outcome.

Year 2 and Year 6 children in England and Wales took the new SATs exam for the first time in Summer 2016. The new style SATs for English and maths reflected the national curriculum introduced at that time. The test aims to not separate children by skills group, with the expectation that all children would be able to complete the more challenging material across the three tests which cover English, maths and science.

Key Stage 2 maths is split into three parts, with paper one solely focusing on arithmetic with no added word problems. The test lasts 30 minutes and calculators are not allowed. This paper marries well with the Kumon Maths Programme as students will need to know their times tables, with questions ranging from column addition, through to the multiplication of fractions and calculating exponents (the equivalent of level B through to early level G). The number of questions in the test means that Kumon students with strong mental maths will be at a distinct advantage.

To finish the test in the time available, students on average have to answer each question in under fifty seconds – leaving no time for extensive workings. In this way the test will highlight the ability of stronger students. For pupils who are not awarded two marks for successfully answering the long multiplication and division questions, one mark will be available for a formal method with not more than one arithmetic error.

The Marking Guide for the 2019 Mathematics test is available online, linked here. It clearly lays out the principles for marking the three mathematics papers. Whether in the arithmetic or reasoning papers full marks are given for the correct answer, be that 1, 2 or 3 marks. When partial answers or working out is shown as correct but the actual answers are incorrect, then partial marks can be awarded, but they are by no means a requirement.

Crucially the ‘Standards and Testing Agency’ have made it clear that the absence of showing working and carrying figures does not count as an arithmetic error; it will be the values for the interim answers within their calculation that will be reviewed regarding arithmetic errors. In short, students will not be awarded extra marks for showing their workings. Kumon students are familiar with this way of working.

The Head Teacher Euxton CofE Primary School, Giles Storch, couldn’t have been any more convinced of the benefit Kumon students will have with the new exam: “The new Year 6 SATs paper has a big focus on mental arithmetic and the children have to answer a long list of questions in their head – quick fire. Our Kumon children absolutely thrive on that so it will be a big bonus for them when they come to do these tests.”

Similarly, on the English papers with a focus on comprehension, summary and sentence/paragraph construction, the English tests play on the strengths of students who are studying with Kumon.

Students who are regularly engaging in mental arithmetic and are exposed to a wide range of vocabulary, are in the best position to thrive, as well as developing their stamina, resilience, and ‘can do’ attitude towards their work.

So, whilst at Kumon we do not follow the national curriculum, our students are well supported in these key areas which support their learning in school, and their ability to succeed in these exams. SATs practice papers alongside a good subject grounding from the Kumon Maths and English Programmes are enough for a child to demonstrate their knowledge across the subjects.

LINKS TO SATs MARKING GUIDES:

1. Key Stage 2 – 2019 Mathematics test mark- Standards and testing agency

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/804063/STA198219e_2019_ks2_mathematics_Mark_schemes.pdf

2. Key Stage 2 – 2019 English Reading test mark schemes.gov- Standards and testing agency.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/803889/STA198212e_2019_ks2_English_reading_Mark_schemes.pdf

3. Key Stage 2 – 2019 English Grammar and Punctuation test mark schemes.gov- Standards and testing agency.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/803828/STA198215e_2019_ks2_English_GPS_Mark_schemes.pdf

Kumon worksheets are developed to pursue the potential of a child, and we do this by ensuring students become self-learners. To become a self-learner, a student needs to look at the work in front of them and think for themselves. To be able to think for yourself means you need to use your imagination and be creative. Kumon Instructors develop this creativity in students from the very early levels of the Kumon worksheets in different ways.

Creativity is not only about the arts. It is also about transcending traditional ideas, patterns and rules, and coming up with new methods, forms and interpretations. The Kumon worksheets are structured in a way which allows a child to identify patterns and work out the methods for themselves. If you look at the introductory sets for new topics, such as long division, reduction or addition of fractions and so on, you will find that there are very few words, if any, to describe how to solve the sums. Students study the completed and partly worked examples and use their imagination and prior knowledge to deduce how these algorithms work.

With the guidance of their Instructor, Kumon students look at what the worksheets show them, and think how the questions and the steps change from point to point. They are made to think from one step to the next. When a student is studying a new topic, their Instructor will also pay close attention to the errors the student might make, as this shows us how the child is thinking and approaching the question. This therefore allows us to guide the student to think in a different way. If an Instructor can see that one example is not sufficient, they may provide additional answers to increase the number of examples and enable the student to refine their thinking, identify the pattern across all examples, and devise the solution in their minds. This is how we develop creativity with the Kumon Maths Programme.

There is no one way that we instruct a child to do the work. At Kumon we get them to think for themselves and often children come up with their own methods. For example, in the vertical addition section of level B, we often see students writing the answers to column addition and subtraction from left to right. These students are thinking in terms of whole numbers and not the mechanics of solving these sums in columns. Furthermore, we want each student to use the most efficient way of solving sums on their own. Hence we instruct students to find the smartest way; to be able to recognise the smartest way, they need to be aware of different approaches. In the above example, if a child has difficulty completing an addition of a 3-digit by 3-digit number from left to right, then the Instructor might clearly instruct the child to use the column method. Hence, the child develops a range of tools they can use to solve similar problems and become efficient in choosing the most appropriate tools, or combining them to work out more complicated sums or exercises as they progress through the programme.

When a child studies the topics of algebra in levels G to J, they further develop abstraction skills. They understand how to transcend all the patterns and systems of arithmetic to the more abstract entities of algebraic expressions. The ultimate training of creative thinking in the final levels of calculus (K-O) develops through studying functions and their properties. Here students learn to combine a big selection of tools to solve more complicated problems, very often combining algebraic with visual tools, like graphs and diagrams, to create a solution to each problem. Throughout the maths programme, efficiency, precision, rigorous mathematical expressions (almost the equivalent of prose in English language), are valued and contribute towards the creation of an elegant solution. It is no coincidence that mathematicians often talk of an elegant proof; aesthetics play as much a role in maths as they do in art.

Our worksheets and our instruction can develop creativity, particularly when a child has progressed beyond their school level. But this creativity and imagination can only be developed once a good foundation has been established in the previous levels. Kumon is about developing self-learners, and that is why it is essential a child stays with Kumon to study work that is beyond their school level.

The Kumon Method of Learning is a home-based education system which aims to develop students’ academic ability and enable them to become independent by fostering the mindset and skills for self-learning.

Behind every successful student is a supportive parent/guardian, and nowhere is this truer than with Kumon study. Your child should be able to complete their daily homework independently as each worksheet builds on skills they will have developed on the previous level. Your child may well ask you for help, but you should ensure that, as far as possible, they complete the work by themselves.

At the study centre, students will benefit from observation, feedback and guidance from their Instructor. They will be set medium-term and long-term goals in consultation with your child and create a study projection to ensure they achieve these goals. As your child progresses through their Kumon journey, you can increasingly step back and allow them to take charge. Our goal is to ultimately entrust your child with full responsibility for their own learning.

However, at least initially, your child will need encouragement at home as until Kumon study is embedded into their daily routine, they may need you to ensure they stay on track and pursue their goals. Ensure they have a quiet environment to work in, where they can give their full attention to their daily worksheets.

Ensure they write their start and finish times on the worksheets, start promptly and work efficiently.

You will be required to mark your child’s worksheets every day so they can do any corrections immediately. You will be given answer books enabling you to mark quickly and easily. Though we appreciate this is still a big commitment, it will enable your child to learn from their mistakes. If your child gets stuck, try to resist automatically giving them the answer. Ask them to re-read the instructions and the example (if present) or talk you through a previous question they have answered correctly. Ask them to think about how they can apply the same approach to the current question.

Although you will be expected to provide support, there isn’t a need to teach anything at home as the worksheets themselves do that. Every question and every worksheet builds on the one before. However, if you find your child is struggling at home, please contact me, your Instructor, directly for advice.

Children are naturally inquisitive, and love learning from a young age. I am sure you have been amazed at how your child has learned something quickly or said something that you did not know you had taught them or that they had heard or seen before. Children take delight in learning, being able to show you how much they have learned, and seeing you smile in awe and pride.

In addition, the effect of a preschool education has been proven to boost academic performance right up until secondary school, so there really is a great benefit in starting early. Not only do they love to learn, but it also supports their future success.

We all know that a child’s first day at school can be extremely daunting, but we can take away some of that fear by developing our young students’ confidence, learning ability, and showing them that learning is fun, as we harness their natural enthusiasm and zest for absorbing information.

At this stage, we slowly develop a child’s concentration skills, so they are able to focus for five, ten and then 15 minutes at a time whilst working with you in class. We do this whilst we develop their vocabulary through fun and colourful worksheets in the English programme, before they learn how they to sound out words. Our maths programme introduces them to counting and numbers in a way that will allow them to amaze you even further, as they will be able to think of the next number themselves without us saying what it might be. They will see that they know more than they thought.

We also develop their pencil skills, improving their ability to hold and control a pencil. We have bright colourful worksheets that our young students really enjoy.

By taking advantage of our Early Learner Free Trial this January, you will benefit from getting a taster of what our early learner study looks like and ascertain if this is right for your child. There is then no obligation to continue if you feel it’s not right for you.

Working every day is indeed a commitment which requires dedication and perseverance. We take this approach because completing an appropriate amount of work on a regular basis is simply more effective for the student than having longer study sessions with extended breaks – they will learn more efficiently and make stronger progress as they apply what they have learned. This sense of routine also fosters effective study habits and a positive attitude to study.

The Kumon Method of Learning is designed specifically to produce the greatest results in the shortest possible time. The materials have been created to allow students to progress naturally without overexerting themselves.

When a child studies a new topic one day, they need to practise it the next to recall what they have learnt and ensure learning from the day before is not forgotten. More importantly, this strengthens your child's thinking and understanding. The following day's work is then easier to understand and complete.

By studying in this way students build confidence, motivation and, in time, a love of learning. This is particularly important when they reach work that is above their school level, or are tackling work they have not seen before. This routine and dedication, along with the skills the student has built when doing work more familiar to them, will become extremely important at this time. And it is here you can truly see the value of Kumon.

Most students study for around 30 minutes per subject per day. Once this time is incorporated into a daily routine, many of our Kumon families have found it easy to maintain. A lot of our students have found that completing their worksheets before school in the morning builds Kumon into their routine whilst minimising the chances of this routine being interrupted.

As well as maths and/or English proficiency, our programmes also develop a number of other skills, such as stamina, concentration, the ability to work at a steady rhythm with good pace; we also want to develop a commitment to learning and a positive attitude towards studying. We believe, in order to do this, daily study needs to be a priority in the everyday routine.

uilding this routine early will leave your child in good stead when they move into further education and employment, as they will already have a positive attitude towards work of this nature.

The projection we set your child is based on daily study; you will not see these results in the time period we have discussed if you do not make the commitment to studying every day. Please do contact me (your Instructor) at any time if you wish to discuss your child’s workload, in light of any changes of circumstance at home.

Absolutely not! In Kumon we believe that there is no cap to how much a child can advance through our programmes. Every child’s experience and rate of progress is quite different however, based on their individual ability and situation. In the first year of study we work towards developing the skills necessary for study and solid mathematics skill in topics your child has probably covered in school. We do this in order to strengthen the basics, develop their mental stamina, but also to develop study skills like concentration, the ability to focus on a piece of work and complete it uninterrupted, and getting in the routine of studying every Kumon subject for 30 minutes per day, every day. In this first year, progress through the programme levels might be swift, as we utilise the starting point as a springboard to your child tackling material above their school level. Once we get into the realm of unknown work, topics that your child might not have covered at school, or might be familiar with the concept but not at the difficulty level introduced in the worksheets, then naturally the rate of progress decreases for different reasons. Coming into new topics requires more time and practice for your child to get to grips with every new concept, master the calculation procedures and become fluent in performing them. Naturally, the calculations involved in the mathematics programme increase in complexity from one level to the next. This means that the thinking time and calculation time required for completion of the sums increases as well. As a result of all this I might need to employ different strategies, like assigning more repetitions, adjusting the workload to ensure the work is always at the just-right level and not too strenuous and ensuring the study time is around 30 minutes per day. All these can lead to the student's rate of progress decreasing. From their second year of study, as a rule of thumb, we aim for an average progress of two programme levels per year.

Even if it seems slower progress than in the initial stages, this rate ensures your child will keep advancing further and further above school level whilst developing both their maths ability and skills for independent learning.

We believe that every student has the potential to complete the programme, regardless of their age or ability when they start. By reaching this point, they will have benefited from moving through all stages of the Kumon journey. I know we may ask for a great commitment from both you as parents, and our students, but the benefits in the long-run really are worth making that commitment.

Kumon, we don’t just want your child to fly through the worksheets and complete the programmes in the quickest time possible. Our focus is to ensure they have fully grasped and understood each concept, because without this understanding they will struggle in the higher levels.

For us, mastery is key. It is this mastery which ensures your child has a firm foundation in either maths and/or English, and enables them to excel in higher levels and while they are studying at school.

To ensure students are fully proficient, it is often deemed necessary for them to repeat worksheets, in fact most worksheets will be repeated at least once.

To ascertain whether or not a student has fully understood a particular subject we look at a number of factors.

We observe the way they tackle the question, if they approach each question asking for the same methodology in the same way, and how quickly they grasp what the question is looking for.

We also monitor the time it takes them to complete the worksheets; the fluency with which they move down the page tells us a vast amount about their understanding. Being able to work out 5 x 7 in a few seconds is very different from knowing that 5 x 7 = 35 for instance.

It is this instant recall and understanding that we want to ensure, because once students move onto harder work, they will need this firm grounding to progress with relative ease.

At the end of each level is an Achievement Test which recaps the information learned in the level before, as well as introduces a few concepts to be visited in the level ahead. This allows us to verify a child’s understanding, and to ascertain if there are any particular points of learning they need to revisit again.

At Kumon we believe that a child’s self-belief is vital; we want our students to approach each new piece of work with the attitude “I can do it”, rather than with any sense of fear or trepidation.

This is because we believe every child has boundless potential, they just need to develop the skills to take their learning into their own hands.

When a child first enrols at Kumon we take them back to work they might find quite simple, or at least will not find too challenging. This is to ensure the right foundation is in place to guarantee success. Whilst they are working through these easier levels, we spend our time focusing on improving how they are working in a safe and caring environment. We will correct their posture, ensure they maintain and prolong their concentration, check that they are tackling the worksheets in the right way and recognising the skills the questions are asking for.

We will also take care to pay attention to the way they approach the work: are they using the quickest method? Are they using coping mechanisms? Is there a particular theme they continuously struggle with?

In identifying, correcting and developing any of these areas while the work is still at a comfortable level, we will make sure the right foundations are in place for moving on to work which is more challenging.

As children start to achieve success every day, they start to believe in themselves more and more; they aren’t being told how to answer the questions correctly, they are working it out for themselves. We praise them for the fantastic work they do each day and how they are developing their skills and confidence.

Soon something they found unachievable becomes easy, because they are assured they know how to approach the challenge in such a way to guarantee success. They will be continuously praised for what they can do, and what they can’t do begins to become what they can’t do yet.

Each of these daily milestones work together to boost a child’s confidence and to foster their belief that any challenge is achievable with a bit of work; this self-assurance then spills out into all aspects of their life, especially at school.

At Kumon we want to encourage all children to develop a love of and proficiency in reading, regardless of whether they are studying the Kumon English Programme or the Kumon Maths Programme.

The Kumon Recommended Reading List is a list of 380 books intended to help Kumon students find books they will enjoy and to encourage them to read from a wide range of genres and styles. It is designed so students can start reading books at a comfortable level and progress to titles which may be a little more difficult. We ensure all students receive a copy when they enrol and your Instructor may want to recommend a few to help your child get started.

Reading and, indeed, reading at a high-level, will help children in all other aspects of learning as they are able to better comprehend the information they encounter. Wider reading will help improve vocabulary and also enrich a child’s understanding of the world around them.

Having a high-level of reading ability includes being able to choose books for oneself, to read books at good speed, and to read a large number of books regardless of their difficulty or genre. By reading more and more, children develop language skills and show improvements in other areas as a result. At Kumon, we want to ensure our students develop in ability, not only academically, but also acquire the mind-set and skills for self-learning.

Children who are just beginning to read, and have found literature at alevel appropriate to their learning, feel an enormous sense of achievement and we hope you will work with us to encourage and develop this enthusiasm. As with pre-schoolers, we feel it is important that reading in the early school years is a shared activity between child and parent, which fosters the habit and love of reading.

As your child progresses and begins to read more confidently, tackling books on higher levels of the RRL, continue to talk with them about the books they are reading; above all, reading should be satisfying and fun!

Actually, we don’t progress our students based on their age, but rather their ability.

Your child will sit an initial diagnostic test, which is loosely set based on what year she is in at school, though we may also give her a few questions from one or two other tests to ensure we really get a full picture of what she can do.

We also look at how she sits and concentrates, as well as her working out and a number of other factors too.

We then take all the information we have gathered to set her starting point. This may be work she has already covered at school but that is so we can ensure there are no gaps in her learning, and so we can train her to use the worksheets in the right way.

She must read the instructions and examples in full and begin to work through the worksheets quickly, whilst concentrating at all times.

Her progress from this point on will be determined by her ability and her own development, not by her age or school year. We do not move a child on until we are certain they have fully grasped the learning topics covered within each level.

Each level of the Kumon programmes builds incrementally on the one before, it is extremely important, therefore, that each student is fully competent in each level before moving on. If a child is moved on too early they will find the next level rather more challenging than they should, and this could prove demotivating for them.

At Kumon we focus on ensuring your daughter is working at the right level for her, if so, there is nothing she can’t achieve.

Of course it is up to you if you decide that Kumon study is not fitting in with your son’s school routine; however, I would recommend you give some consideration to this before you make any decisions.

I am aware that beginning a new school year, particularly when changing schools is involved, can be intimidating and nerve-wracking for any student (and parent for that matter), but maintaining an established routine can prove beneficial.

Continuing Kumon study can be extremely helpful in terms of ability development as well as confidence in ensuring your son is still advancing whilst adjusting to the new teacher and class environment.

Your son has been making great progress in his Kumon studies and I have seen a shift in his attitude and self-belief when tackling new work. This will undoubtedly help him when approaching new areas of study at school and I would really like to see this progress continue.

It can be incredibly reassuring for a student going through so many changes to have the consistency of his Kumon routine. Whilst adjusting to children from other schools, and their skill levels, and the mannerisms of a new teacher, it can be comforting to return to the familiar Kumon environment, where he will always receive a warm welcome. He can also talk to me if he feels a dip in confidence compared to these new children and I can offer reassurance.

It may also prove extremely demotivating when he does return to Kumon as he will likely have to revisit work previously mastered, as his progress has been halted and he will need to get back into the routine of Kumon.

Ultimately, it is your decision to pause, and if you do make that decision I very much hope you will return. But I do hope you will consider staying so your son can continue to progress at his current rate.

I must point out that if you do decide to leave for a period of time you will be recharged a registration fee when you return.

The Kumon worksheets are designed to allow students to progress naturally through the levels. When your child is at the study centre their rate of development is constantly reviewed, ensuring they fully grasp the subject at hand before moving on.

We aim to set students work which will equate to around 30 minutes of study each day. This level of work will ensure steady progress, without overburdening the student, which could prove demotivating.

When you are provided with your child’s study projection, the level your child should reach within a year is set based on an expectation of daily study. This will ensure their progress is consistent and smooth.

Any break in this study routine will therefore have a detrimental effect on this progress. It also affects their daily study habit, concentration, focus and study rhythm, and they often lose the academic understanding as well. We often find students who break from Kumon study often have to take a step back and return to work previously mastered, this can be disheartening for the student.

Whilst it is of course your decision to take a break, we would highly recommend you maintain your child’s study routine, even whilst you are away. We could discuss reducing your child’s workload over this period, as the most important thing is to keep the momentum going.

Incorporating this 30 minutes of study into your holiday routine will ensure your child continues to progress and learn without interruption.

Please also be aware that if your child does not attend the study centre or complete worksheets for over a period of one month, you will automatically be removed from our reporting systems. This means you will need to re-register and will incur a registration fee.

The Kumon programmes are tailored to suit each individual child’s current needs and ability, through daily study of maths and/or English worksheets. Your child will progress at his/her own speed, developing the ability to self-learn, to work at pace, with good concentration skills and to correct his/her own work.

We aim for all students to progress to studying advanced-level work, regardless of whether or not they come to us because they are gifted or because they are struggling.

Once a firm foundation has been nurtured, the programmes propel students to study at an advanced level on our international scale, the Kumon International Standard. The worksheets are the same in whichever country in the world they are studied and so they do not follow any country’s curriculum but rather are complementary to curricula across the world. At Kumon we take a long-term approach to learning, we ask for 30 minutes of study per subject, per day, with the aim of nurturing a love of learning, and the independent learning skills which will benefit students at school, university and in the workplace.

The maths programme aims for students to confidently tackle calculus, with the ability to select the most effective and efficient methods to solve each question.

The English programme has two main objectives: to nurture proficiency in reading, and to encourage students to develop a love of reading. These are helped by our recommended reading list which contains 380 titles, further supporting students with their learning. When a student reaches completion of the programme, they will have the ability to critique literature of all genres and complexities.

The Kumon programmes have been in operation for over 50 years. Over time they have been fine tuned to be most effective in realising students potential. We, as Instructors, learn from our students every day to ensure our instruction is appropriate for each and every child in our study centres. There are currently over 4 million students achieving success through the Kumon Method, across the globe.

At Kumon we do not teach in the conventional sense, but through observation, guidance and daily study of the worksheets themselves, we enable students to learn for themselves. In this way their development is not limited by the skills and knowledge of others.

Because we aren’t actually ‘teaching’ in the conventional sense.

Each and every one of our Instructors has a high proficiency in maths and English and goes through a rigorous training process to ensure they know the Kumon worksheets inside out.

Our Instructors may not be teachers but they are specialists in the Kumon Maths and English Programmes.

Instructors know what each level is designed to teach the students and how, and which areas are more challenging. The Instructor shapes and guides the students' learning experience but is not there to impart knowledge, rather to impart the skills and abilities students require to learn independently.

The Kumon worksheets use instructions, tips and examples to encourage our students to develop an attitude of “I can do it”, to tackle any given problem on their own.

We want students to realise their own potential and by that we mean we want them to feel their learning is limitless. We will ensure they have a firm foundation in maths and English, ensuring that, when faced with a new challenge, they are aware of the requirements of finding the answer and will tackle finding that answer on their own.

Each worksheet builds incrementally on the one before, so the Instructor will be able to observe how the student is tackling each problem and whether or not they have picked up the learning queues correctly or if they need to repeat the worksheets to ensure the skills are in place for harder work later on.

We don’t want to cap our students learning by the limits of our own and for this reason, when a student asks for help, we will always guide them back to the worksheets and back to discovering the answer for themselves, because when they do, the student is always so proud of themselves and increasingly confident in their own abilities.

Our Instructors are not led by a curriculum or national targets, but rather by nearly 60 years of experience from other Instructors delivering the same programmes, by the same methods across the world. And it is this knowledge and experience that we use to shape our students and equip them with the skills to raise the bar for the next generation.

At Kumon, we focus on ensuring students are working at their ‘just-right’ level of study. By this we mean students can self-learn enthusiastically, are able to understand what they are learning and are given the opportunity to review their work should they need to.

In order to ascertain this, we need to consider a number of different factors, including how they approach their work, their work-skills, comprehension, how they approach making corrections, how often they struggle to understand a problem, and the time it takes them to complete the worksheets.

By keeping an accurate record of worksheet numbers, scores and completion times, we are far better able to gauge whether or not they are working at their just-right level.

Ability can be determined by observing students solving problems and by examining their completed worksheets, however, having a good record of study over a period of time is extremely important for reflecting upon development and identifying areas where repetition may be required.

Every student will complete worksheets differently and at their own pace. However, monitoring completion times within our framework allows us to gain a better understanding of their fluency with the material at hand.

At Kumon, we do not want students to merely discover the right answer, but we want them to be able to easily and quickly recall the answer, or the method required to find it. Fluency (measured as calculation or text processing speed), as well as accuracy, is required if your child wants to tackle advanced work successfully.

Monitoring completion times, both in the study centre and at home, gives us a more complete understanding of a student’s progress and how they work in different environments. Keeping our records up-to-date allows us to better explore each student’s progress and ensure this is as smooth as possible.

At Kumon we want to ensure students have fully mastered each new learning topic within the worksheets before moving on to the next. For example, knowing the answer to an addition sum is one thing, but being able to recall all your number bonds at speed is quite another, or, in the English programme, being able to read a passage, process the information and answer a comprehension question within a certain timeframe is an indication of reading comprehension fluency and advanced language skills.

Fluency, not just accuracy, is required if your child wishes to tackle more challenging work successfully.

Our standard completion time (SCT) is used as a factor to indicate whether or not a student needs to repeat worksheets. It is designed to evaluate a student’s ability to study an appropriate amount of worksheets with consistent concentration throughout. Our experience of the millions of students studying with the Kumon worksheets has shown that students who study material that is just-right for them, are able to complete these worksheets within the SCT of each worksheet level or set.

Hence, timing the worksheets is an imperative tool for the Instructor to ensure that your child is studying material just-right for your child’s ability and understanding at any given point in time. An Instructor takes into account the shifts in completion times from one topic to the next, and even within the same topic sets, to evaluate your child’s development through their study and ensure appropriate repetition is given before they move on to the next topic or level. Of course, worksheet completion time is not the only decider of your child’s progress. Through observation, your Instructor will be aware of your child’s individual study habits; they will know how long a student takes to digest a question and understand what is being asked of them. They will also be aware of a student’s attention to detail and whether or not they consider their answer before moving on and the number of mistakes and corrections a student needs to do before they can achieve a perfect score in their daily work. These study habits, as well as completion times, will all factor into your Instructor’s decision to move your child on, or to ask them to repeat certain worksheets.

In monitoring completion times, along with a number of other factors as mentioned above, we can ensure your child is fully grasping, understanding, and recalling each new topic of study and ensure they are progressing at the right level for them. In this way we can ensure your child is not progressed before they are ready, and conversely, are not set repeated worksheets they do not need.

When we carry out the initial diagnostic test, we look for areas where there may be gaps in your child’s learning. We also look at areas for development such as posture, pencil grip, and the use of support mechanisms such as finger counting in the maths programme.

This allows us to build up a full picture of your child’s current ability and areas we need to revisit to ensure they have developed a firm foundation in the subject, as this will enable them to move on to advanced work later on.

Moreover, in starting your child on level XXX, I want him to develop study skills as well as his maths/English ability. These skills include following instructions, reading examples first, developing number bonds and mental calculation skills, memory skills, concentration, etc.

These are essential for any child to acquire so they can begin to learn for themselves through my instruction and the worksheets. These skills also support them with their school work and give them the confidence to tackle work that may be challenging or new for them.

The majority of these skills are developed most effectively when the work is not challenging.

You will remember from the study projection, that they will go through the first few levels quite rapidly. These levels are given so that your child can develop focus, concentration and work skills, all of which needs to be done at a good pace and workload. When they have these skills then they can start to tackle more challenging work with greater productivity.

By the end of your child’s first year, I want to ensure they have reached the Kumon International Standard, an international approximation of school level, and to do so, it is vital these skills are in place.

Kumon is a long-term programme, because we want to achieve long-term results. In taking the time to ensure your child is equipped with good concentration and study habits, we can ensure they are able to excel later in life, and that their learning is with them for the long-run.

Your child will study at their own pace and when necessary will repeat worksheets more than once. Repeated practice of each topic will ensure the skills needed for progression to the next topic are sufficiently developed and hence, your child can progress as independently as possible.

I can appreciate the work seems simple, and is at a level seen previously, but this is not by accident. We find a lot of our students come to us a little disheartened because they are struggling or finding the subject in question difficult. In taking them back to work they are able to do, we are resetting these experiences and encouraging them to recognise that with a little dedication they can achieve.

The Kumon programmes aim to enable students to become independent by fostering in them the mindset and skills for self-learning. The materials are created to allow students to progress naturally and develop academic ability according to the individual capabilities of each student.

As Kumon Instructors, we do not ‘teach’ students in the conventional sense. It is our aim to guide students through the programmes, fostering in them a positive attitude towards study and good study habits, whilst pursuing the right level of study for each individual; assigning a suitable number of worksheets and amount of repetition to ensure students are motivated, but that they also fully grasp each topic block before moving on.

To enable students to develop the mindset and skills to learn on their own, we must encourage them to find solutions on their own by carefully following the instructions on the worksheets, and by guiding them to correct their own mistakes.

When each student begins the maths and English programmes, they are given a study projection. This is shared with you, the parent, as well as the student, giving them a realistic goal to work towards and ownership over their own development. This is a reflection of the progress level we want them to reach and by when. Instruction is then given in accordance with this individualised study projection. Attending the study centre up to twice per week allows for observation time with the Instructor, so while we may not sit down with them and teach them how to do the work, we will judge their competencies and guide them to find the right answers on their own.

We help students understand the process by which an answer is found, giving explanations and hints so the answer is still achieved by the student themselves. In this way the Kumon Method of Learning develops academic ability, whilst also empowering students to take ownership of their own learning, increasing their concentration and stamina, and building their confidence so they are able to learn for themselves.