Your Students Aren’t Forgetting Maths. They’re Stuck in Stage Two of Learning.

If you joined us for our recent webinar, Why Maths Isn’t Sticking (And What the Research Says to Do About It), thank you for being part of the conversation.

The session explored why students often forget mathematics, what cognitive science tells us about long-term learning, and how teachers can help students build knowledge that lasts. But one idea, in particular, stood out because it challenged something many of us instinctively do in the classroom.

When students get stuck, our first instinct is often to step in and help.

But what if that moment of uncertainty isn’t a sign that learning has stopped?

What if it’s actually the moment learning begins?

What does “being stuck” really mean?

Every maths teacher has experienced it.

You’ve modelled a new concept, worked through examples together, and students seem to understand. Then it’s time for independent practice.

Hands start going up.

“I don’t get it.”

“I forgot what to do.”

“Can you show me again?”

It’s easy to interpret these moments as a sign that the lesson hasn’t worked. But as Adrian explained during the webinar, they often represent something much more valuable.

Students aren’t necessarily failing.

They’re transitioning from recognising information to retrieving it for themselves.

That distinction matters.

What Are The Four Stages of Competence?

One of the frameworks Adrian explored during the webinar was the Four Stages of Competence, which provides a simple but powerful way to think about how learning develops.

Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence

Students have watched a concept being taught. The worked examples make sense, and they feel confident following along.

At this point, they haven’t yet had to solve the problem independently, so they’re often unaware of what they don’t yet know.

Everything feels familiar because the support is still there.

Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence

Then comes independent practice.

Students suddenly realise they can’t remember the next step, which strategy to use or how to begin.

While this stage can feel uncomfortable, Adrian described it as one of the most important moments in learning.

Students have become aware of the gap between recognising a process and genuinely understanding it.

Without reaching this point, they never discover what still needs strengthening.

Stage 3: Conscious Competence

With continued practice, retrieval and feedback, students begin solving problems successfully.

They’re thinking carefully through each step, but their confidence is growing.

Stage 4: Unconscious Competence

Eventually, the process becomes automatic.

Students no longer need to consciously think about each step because the knowledge has been reinforced enough times to become part of their long-term memory.

This is where fluency develops.

How does this change the way we teach?

One of the most thought-provoking ideas from the webinar was that we sometimes remove productive struggle too quickly.

When students say they’re stuck, it’s natural to want to explain the solution again.

But if we immediately step in every time students experience uncertainty, they miss the opportunity to retrieve what they’ve learned and discover how well they can recall and apply it independently.

That doesn’t mean leaving students to struggle indefinitely.

Rather, it means recognising that a certain amount of challenge is both expected and necessary. With the right level of support, students can work through that uncertainty and strengthen their understanding in the process.

As Adrian explained, those moments of retrieval are often where the deepest learning occurs.

From understanding to lasting learning

This is also why spaced practice is so powerful.

Instead of assuming learning is complete once students can answer questions at the end of a lesson, spaced practice deliberately brings important concepts back over time.

Each revisit asks students to retrieve knowledge after some forgetting has occurred, strengthening their memory and helping move learning from short-term performance to long-term understanding.

Rather than avoiding moments where students feel challenged, spaced practice embraces them as part of the learning process.

Just as important is giving students opportunities to practise under the conditions in which they’ll eventually need to use their knowledge. If students are always practising with notes, hints or worked examples available, they may feel confident without knowing whether they can retrieve and apply the skill independently. Creating opportunities to practise without those supports, similar to the conditions they’ll face in an assessment, gives students a more accurate picture of what they truly know and what still needs strengthening.

Watch the full webinar

The Four Stages of Competence were just one of the many ideas Adrian explored during the webinar.

Throughout the session, he also unpacked the research behind spaced practice, explained why students so often experience the illusion of competence, and shared practical classroom strategies that teachers can begin implementing immediately to support durable learning.

If you weren’t able to join us live, or you’d like to revisit the discussion, you can watch the full webinar recording below.

Helping students succeed in mathematics isn’t about eliminating every struggle. It’s about recognising which struggles help learning grow.

When we understand how students move from initial understanding to genuine mastery, we can create classrooms that don’t just prepare students for tomorrow’s lesson, they prepare them to remember what they’ve learned long after the lesson is over.