Helen Sheridan — Director of Maths, Trivela FC

"Helen, what on earth are you thinking, getting involved with a football gaming company? You should be doing something important for maths education."

At Trivela, I know we have something really special: computer games with a football element that children love AND that help them understand and recall addition facts to 20 and times-tables facts. I know the games are going to make a massive positive impact on many youngsters who find maths challenging.

The Fast Maths method

Early in my career I developed my "Fast Maths" method. Over 30 years it has helped generations of children master instant recall of addition facts to 20 and times tables, with understanding. Unlike rote learning or over-practising facts to recall like a parrot, Fast Maths focuses on conceptual, pictorial learning as well as strategies to quickly calculate facts — building deep understanding first, then moving toward automaticity at each stage.

Why this matters

In 2024, after 11 years of schooling, 28% of 16-year-olds in England — approximately 176,000 pupils — still failed to achieve a pass in GCSE maths (something most will likely need, whether pursuing vocational or academic paths). I truly believe most of these youngsters have masked the fact they can't instantly recall addition facts to 20 and times-table facts.

Watch teenagers who struggle with maths and you'll see some counting under the desk on their fingers; others tapping on the desk to find answers. Not having facts at your fingertips means you don't see the links and patterns in maths — and you can't keep up with explanations in class. As the years go on, these youngsters fall further behind, give up, and come to see themselves as failures.

Trivela's mission

Support the children who find maths tough, so they master the essentials by the end of primary school and head into secondary school with real options. Playing age-appropriate games, every pupil stays engaged while easing the load on teachers and support staff. Trivela's games work for the whole class — no one feels singled out — and effort is rewarded.

After 35 years in education, I feel like for the very first time I'm doing something really important for maths education.

Credentials