Primary Problems - a First Curriculum for Mathematics

This resource, from Politeia, responds to the developments in the educational reform of mathematics, published in 2012. It contains a curriculum, drawn up by Professor David Burghes, Director of the Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching (CIMT) at the University of Plymouth. Particular attention is paid to the teaching of mathematics in Finland, Singapore and Japan, three countries recognised as being mathematically high performing. He also emphasises the importance of the primary curriculum as the starting point for change and advocates learning the foundations, including number bonds and multiplication tables, early on. Although he welcomes the Department for Education's proposals for mastering key number facts and greater freedom for teachers, Professor Burghes proposes a number of refinements and sets out a clear, short, curriculum for each year of the primary phase, illustrated with exemplar questions in a format designed to be helpful to teachers. Politeia commissions and publishes discussions by specialists about social and economic ideas and policies. It aims to encourage public discussion on the relationship between the state and the people. Its aim is not to influence people to support any given political party, candidates for election, or position in a referendum, but to inform public discussion of policy. The forum is independently funded, and the publications do not express a corporate opinion, but the views of their individual authors.