PUPILS at a Glasgow school saw their maths grades soar after taking parents into the classroom.

Kids at Knightswood Primary in the west of Glasgow are passing national assessment levels earlier thanks to a project that involves mums and dads in the teaching process.

Results show 25 out of 58 primary-four pupils - 43% - achieved level C in their 5-14 national assessments this year, compared with just 3% in the previous year.

The school is the first in the city to teach maths to pupils through active learning' - a modern method that uses practical tasks to boost understanding and brings parent volunteers into the class.

Pupils use workstations to learning the subject through real-life scenarios like measuring ingredients for fruit smoothies with the help of a teacher, support assistant, parent or on their own.

Research shows active learning is better recalled, understood and enjoyed than traditional teaching methods and allows youngsters to learn at their own pace.

The scheme was the brainchild of class teacher Catriona Smith who is using the findings of the pilot as part of her assessment to qualify as a headteacher.

She says the programme boosts understanding and motivation among pupils for what can be a difficult subject to grasp.

In a primary-four class with 29 pupils, 79% said they were "good" at maths and most listed it as their favourite subject.

Primary-five pupil Kyle Anderson said: "Active Maths is good at helping you learn difficult things like dividing and symmetry. I love it."

Catriona said: "I find it really motivates the kids to want to do maths.

"They're disappointed if it's cancelled.

"Parents are reporting that their children talk more about maths at home. Mums and dads helping in the classroom lets them have an insight into how this works in the classroom and makes them more confident about helping their children to learn.

"We're now extending it to primary five and we have a lot of interest from schools in other local authorities."

The 5-14 national assessments cover reading, writing and maths from levels A to F.

Government guidance states Level C should be attainable by most pupils through the course of primary four to six.

Glasgow City Council is now keen to roll the programme out to schools across the city and other local authorities have expressed an interest in using the teaching material.

Knightswood Primary headteacher Janet Hutchison said: "Every active maths class has one parent volunteering to help and I reckon they enjoy it as much as the children do.

"It has been a huge success."

Education watchdogs praised levels of maths attainment in a glowing report given to the school last year.

The primary received three excellent' ratings and 12 very good' from HMI inspectors.