3rd September 2012 12:48
By Blue Tutors
New Numeracy Plans are Flawed
National Numeracy has attacked the new plans by Education Minister, Michael Gove, as flawed and ‘undeliverable’, saying they rely too much on rote learning.
The new plans, expected to commence in September 2014 require children to know their times tables by the age of nine.
Where the government describes the new programme as ‘rigorous’, National Numeracy questions its ability to help pupils develop a strong underlying understanding of mathematics or from having the confidence to apply mathematical theory to everyday problems.
The new programme also separates issues which children need to understand, providing no links between different ideas.
A Department for Education spokesman said the new curriculum would drive up standards for all children: "The plans for primary school maths will put our curriculum on a par with the best in the world, including the one in Singapore.
The shadow education secretary, Stephen Twigg, said: "Instead of a rigorous approach based on evidence, David Cameron and Michael Gove want to take us back to out-of-date teaching methods.
"Employers tell us we need to improve pupils' maths skills, but we will never compete with the best in the world or prepare young people for the jobs of the future by only looking to the past."
Full story - BBC News online 21/08/2012