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How to Use the Progress Tab to Guide Instruction

How to Use the Progress Tab to Guide Instruction Teacher Guide: Interpreting Progress Stats in Magma Math

Written by Vera

Why You'll Love the Progress Tab

Think of the Progress Tab as your dashboard for learning. It shows how your pupils are mastering standards and skills over time so you can:

  • Spot who's thriving and who needs extra support

  • Adjust your pacing or reteach tricky standards

  • Celebrate wins when pupils master a challenging skill

Select a Class

Start by opening the Progress Tab and selecting your class. By default, you'll see This Year, which focuses on current school year progress. Want to take a look at last year's performance? Switch to Historic.

💡 Pro tip: Historic is great for spotting gaps in prior knowledge or reviewing pupils who might need a refresher before moving forward.

Analyse the Standard Completion Graph

At the top, the Standard Completion Graph gives a quick snapshot of progress.

  • Solid line: Shows class-level mastery

  • Dotted line: Shows individual pupil progress

This graph helps you see whether your pacing is on track and if all standards are being covered.

Review the Progress Matrix

Below the graph is the Progress Matrix, which breaks down performance by standard and skill. You can:

  • Focus on a specific domain (such as Geometry or Measurement & Data)

  • Zoom in on individual pupils to spot trends

  • Hover over cells for skill-level details

Interpret the Data

The Progress Tab reflects each pupil's first attempts on their most recent problems for each skill — up to the last 10 problems — keeping mastery information current. Only skills a pupil has actively attempted are included in the calculations; unattempted skills are not counted.

Sometimes the chart looks redder than you might expect. This can happen when pupils have attempted a skill but have not yet achieved consistency across their most recent problems. It's a signal to check in, not a cause for alarm.

How to Use This Information in Your Teaching

The Progress Tab isn't just for ticking boxes — it's for making teaching decisions. Use it to:

  • Adjust pacing for the whole class or individual pupils

  • Identify tricky standards that need reteaching

  • Plan enrichment for pupils who are ahead

  • Celebrate mastery and growth

By combining the Standard Completion Graph with the Progress Matrix, you get the full picture of pupil learning across all the skills your pupils have worked on — no guessing required.

The Progress Tab turns numbers into action. Keep an eye on class trends, drill down to individual pupils, and use what you learn to guide instruction with confidence. With this tool, you can support every pupil in mastering standards — and make teaching decisions faster and more effectively.

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