Q. I'm not sure if my child needs extra help with their maths or not. Their report says they are "at the level" does that mean they are okay?
A. Being "at the level" is interpreted in lots of different ways. Often it means that the student is able to carry out most skills, though not always. Also, while "most" is okay, "all" is best. If you are unsure if your child needs help improving their maths skills in preparation for high school maths, you might like to use our free quiz at mathsquad.org/SkillCheck to find out.

Q. I've read through the "How it works" information (great pictures by the way!), though can you give a bit more information on what the exact requirements are for us to participate in the program?
A. The dot points below summarise the key expectations and requirements.

  • Student (possibly with parental encouragement) is motivated to improve their maths skills*
  • Student (possibly with some support) can learn new skills using our skill development pages. Click here for a sample.
  • Student can commit to the 1-2 hours per week required for completing each homework sheet and the additional task
  • Parent or student has access to a device which has the capacity to take photos and send them via text message. For example, an iPhone, iPad or smart phone
  • Parent or student is able to submit their child's homework by 7pm on Thursday each week

*While your child will be provided with the necessary resources and guidance to improve their maths skills, improvements can only occur when these are combined with an investment of time and effort from the student.

Q. You say you are based in Melbourne, I am from *insert location far away*, can my child still participate in this program?
A. The program works as described on this site for any student based in Australia. By adapting the program ever so slightly we can make it work for students located anywhere in the world. For information regarding overseas enrolments please click here.

Q. Why would I choose this program over private tutoring?
A. While you could pay a neighbour $25 per hour to tutor your child, it is unlikely that they will have the sophisticated understanding of mathematics and learning to provide as effective tuition as the Guided Homework Program. Alternatively, you could pay a qualified high school maths teacher $80-$120 per hour and with their expertise they could make a great difference. However, if you are looking for affordability and expertise then this program is just the thing you are looking for!

Q. We have tried online tutoring programs, NAPLAN workbooks and times tables training programs before and we just don't stick at them. Why will this be any different?
A. Investing $250 of your hard earned cash is likely to be a good incentive. Also, if your child's homework is not submitted by the due date you will receive a friendly reminder via text. From there we work together to work out the best way forward to help you stay on track in future.

Q. Why is it so important to have strong knowledge and high confidence in maths before high school, don't they teach primary maths skills in high school anyway?
A.You are right, most high schools will spend a few lessons at the beginning of the year going over some of the basics. Unfortunately, for students who have large gaps in their knowledge, this is often insufficient. These students don't catch up and they continue to fall behind as they don't have the knowledge they need to learn new skills.

Q. You mentioned in the video that your name is "Dr Wendy Taylor." Why is your title "Dr"?
A. I did a PhD in mathematics before doing a diploma of education to become a maths teacher. If you'd like to learn more about my qualifications and experiences head to the About the Creator page of this website by clicking here.

Q. My child's primary school has a 'No Homework' policy. Doesn't that tell us that it's bad for primary school aged students to do homework?
A. There are mixed opinions on the value of homework in primary school. Research has found that homework in primary school is less effective than homework in high school. That said, it's not as if students wake up on their first day of high school and it is exactly at that point that they will find homework beneficial. As students get older their learning is greatly assisted by review work which can be completed at home. The Guided Homework Program gives students the opportunity to benefit from homework and also establish positive homework routines before starting high school. This is a win-win!

Q. What are the full terms and conditions for this program?
A. The full terms and conditions for this program can be found here.

If you have any of your own questions please don't hesitate to email or call me. My contact details are wendy@mathsquad.org and 0402 988 132.

If all your questions have been answered and you'd like to enrol your child in next term's program click on the link below.