press release
Published: 21 November 2024

Puzzles and LEGO® play are building blocks for future STEM skills success

By Melanie Battolla

As the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review closes today, a University of Surrey professor and her colleagues are urging policymakers to overhaul the UK’s education system to prioritise spatial reasoning. 

Research led by Professor Emily Farran, an expert in cognitive development at the University of Surrey, has shown that by focusing on spatial skills, children's academic performance and their future career prospects can be significantly improved.  

Spatial reasoning, the ability to understand the size and location of objects and visualise problems, is a fundamental skill that underpins success in STEM subjects. However, as current education curricula lack emphasis on this critical skill, Professor Farran is calling for a shift in educational priorities, advocating for an update to all phases of the Mathematics Curricula to explicitly reference and assess spatial reasoning.  

Professor Farran has submitted evidence to the government's Curriculum and Assessment Review. Her evidence builds on the practical support she and her colleagues have developed that is already having a front-line impact. This includes a series of accessible resources in a Spatial Reasoning Toolkit for practitioners and parents which has been adopted by the Teach First teacher training pathway, highlighted in the Department for Education training and is being translated for use internationally. 

Spatial reasoning activities, like solving puzzles and playing with LEGO, are crucial for a child's development. These activities have been shown to improve not only maths skills but also problem-solving abilities that benefit children throughout their lives – with a direct link shown to exist with future STEM subject exam results.

The good news is that spatial reasoning can be easily trained from a young age. By making simple changes to the curriculum and investing in spatial training, we can unlock a future of possibilities for the next generation while also boosting the UK and global economy by strengthening the foundations of the STEM skills of the future. Getting in early with these skills can also be a powerful means to closing the attainment gap, by ensuring children from all backgrounds have a robust platform to build their future academic progress and skills on. Professor Emily Farran, Professor in Developmental Psychology

Furthermore, the research has found: 

  • There is a strong correlation between spatial reasoning skills and performance in STEM subjects. 
  • Children from disadvantaged backgrounds often have lower spatial skills.  Spatial training can help level the playing field. 
  • A focus on spatial reasoning can help address the current STEM skills shortage, estimated to cost the UK economy over £1.5 billion annually, and help to future-proof the workforce. 

Professor Farran's key recommendations include: 

  • Integrating spatial reasoning into all phases of the Mathematics Curricula. 
  • Developing a spatialised mathematics curriculum, that emphasise visualisation, spatial representation, and spatial language. 
  • Enabling the most effective spatial training through the use of physical items, such as LEGO, puzzle blocks and outdoor obstacles. 
  • Providing teachers with appropriate professional development to support the curriculum changes. 
  • Increase investment in research on spatial learning. 

Related sustainable development goals

Image for Quality Education Sustainable Development Goal Image for Decent Work and Economic Growth Sustainable Development Goal Image for Reduced Inequalities Sustainable Development Goal

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Emily Farran

Prof Emily Farran

Professor in Developmental Psychology

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