What Is Fact Fluency?
Fact Fluency focuses on atomic maths facts such as:
3 + 4
7 × 8
16 ÷ 8
This mode complements Magma's core show-your-work experience.
While the drawboard captures how pupils reason through problems, Fact Fluency focuses on whether pupils can automatically recall the foundational facts that reasoning depends on.
Fact Fluency is designed to:
strengthen automaticity
support working memory during problem solving
build confidence through short, low-pressure practice
reinforce foundational number relationships
How Fact Fluency Works
Each session includes approximately:
20 questions
one question at a time
immediate feedback
Most sessions take about 5 minutes.
Pupils can:
select a specific operator (+, −, ×, ÷)
use Mixed Practice
choose Just Start to let Magma select recommended facts automatically
The system adapts based on each pupil's performance and prioritises facts that need additional practice.
Mastery Levels
Each maths fact is tracked individually through four mastery stages:
Level | Meaning |
🌱 Learning | New or developing facts |
🌿 Growing | Building consistency |
⭐ Strong | Frequently recalled correctly |
🏆 Mastered | Automatic recall achieved |
How Facts Move Between Levels
The goal is not just accuracy — it is automatic recall.
Outcome | Effect |
Correct and fast | Moves up one level |
Correct but slower | Stays at current level |
Incorrect | Drops down one level |
The Silent Timer
Pupils do not see a visible timer while practising.
Instead, Fact Fluency uses a silent timing threshold in the background to distinguish:
automatic recall
counting or derived strategies
Approximate timing thresholds:
Years 1–2: 6 seconds
Years 3–4: 5 seconds
Year 5+: 4 seconds
Pupils are never penalised for taking longer. If an answer is correct but slow, the fact simply remains at its current mastery level until recall becomes more automatic.
Spaced Repetition
Fact Fluency uses spaced repetition to strengthen long-term retention. Facts reappear at different intervals depending on mastery level:
Level | Approximate Review Timing |
🌱 Learning | Within a few hours |
🌿 Growing | Within a few days |
⭐ Strong | About a week later |
🏆 Mastered | Several months later |
Common Questions
My pupil answered correctly — why didn't the fact move up?
The pupil answered correctly but not quickly enough for the system to classify the response as automatic recall.
The fact will remain at its current level until retrieval becomes automatic.
Why does the same fact appear again?
If a pupil answers incorrectly, the fact may reappear again during the same session for additional reinforcement.
Is there a timer?
No visible timer is shown to pupils.
The silent timer runs in the background to reduce pressure and anxiety during practice.
Recommended Usage
Fact Fluency is designed for short, consistent practice rather than long drills.
Recommended usage:
about one session per day
approximately 5 minutes
around 20 questions
This helps pupils build automaticity over time without overwhelming practice sessions.