When I was asked to advise the government three years ago on the new maths curriculum I was hoping for a return to more traditional teaching methods – and to a time when we used to lead the world rather than lag behind everyone else. In fact, our brief was to emulate the world’s most…
You may have read the Sunday Times article this weekend (a front-page commentary written by Tim Shipman and Sian Griffiths), about the ‘war on innumeracy’ that could take place over the next few years. The article states that ‘at present the UK ranks 23rd for reading, and 26th for maths in international league tables for…
Parents often comment on how they have either forgotten the maths they learnt at school, or they did not learn maths the way their children are now taught in school. They have said that maths scares them and they do not feel able to help their child when they are stuck on a maths problem.…
Back in the 1960s, Maths changed. A new, more progressive form of mathematics was introduced. It arose out of a focus on pupil-centred learning and an attempt to adapt teaching styles to how it was believed children actually learned things. Much of this was good, but it has also led to a very muddled and…
The new Maths curriculum is on its way, promising to ensure children have a greater understanding, ability and confidence with numbers from an earlier age. Elements of it may seem familiar – that is because in many ways it is a return to how Maths used to be taught in schools. Critics of the outgoing curriculum…