Join the SPI Maths pilot study

Help test a better way to diagnose mathematical literacy.

The SPI Maths pilot is for schools that want deeper insight into why pupils struggle with algebra. Participating departments help evaluate whether assessing mathematical structure produces useful, accurate and actionable information for teachers and maths leads.

Get in touch Email ben@spimaths.com

Why the pilot matters

SPI Maths is being built from classroom evidence.

The long-term aim is a complete diagnostic and curriculum-support ecosystem. The first step is more focused: work with schools to test whether the core diagnostic idea is valid.

The pilot asks whether SPI Maths can show teachers something useful about pupils' mathematical literacy: how they read terms, factors, expressions, equations, brackets, powers and valid transformations. The goal is not to add workload. It is to produce insight that makes teaching and intervention more precise.

What participation involves

A practical, low-disruption pilot cycle.

Schools can begin with a manageable group. The pilot is designed to test the usefulness of SPI Maths without requiring a curriculum rewrite or a major change to department routines.

Choose a cohort

This could be one class, a year group, a small intervention group or a department sample.

Run the diagnostic

Pupils complete a low-stakes SPI assessment focused on mathematical literacy and structural understanding.

Review the reports

Teachers and maths leads receive summaries showing strengths, fragile structures, likely misconceptions and priorities.

Try follow-up actions

Where practical, teachers use a targeted resource, explanation or task linked to one diagnosed weakness.

Share professional feedback

Your department helps evaluate whether the data, actions and reassessment evidence are useful enough to develop further.

What your school receives

Useful diagnostic evidence for real department decisions.

A clearer view of pupils' mathematical literacy strengths and weaknesses
Class and cohort patterns that can inform intervention planning
Insight into misconceptions affecting algebra readiness
Recommended next steps linked to the diagnostic findings
A short reassessment route for checking whether a targeted weakness has moved
A chance to shape SPI Maths before the full product is finalised

Who the pilot is for

Schools already asking deeper questions about algebra.

Heads of maths exploring better Key Stage 3 algebra foundations
Maths leads planning GCSE readiness or intervention work
Schools interested in diagnostic assessment without curriculum disruption
Departments that want more precise language for algebraic misconceptions

What success looks like

Teachers should finish the pilot knowing something they can act on.

A successful SPI Maths pilot should not simply produce scores. It should help a department identify specific structural weaknesses, understand why those weaknesses matter, and decide what to teach next. It should also help SPI Maths refine its assessments, reports and follow-up resources before wider rollout.

Read the SPI Maths roadmap

Get in touch

Interested in joining the pilot?

If your school would like to explore the SPI Maths pilot, send a short message with your name, school, role and the cohort you may be interested in assessing.

You can use the contact form or email directly:

ben@spimaths.com