David Burghes on Maths

This Teachers TV resource features Professor David Burghes, former head of the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, who believes the teaching of mathematics in the UK is in crisis and claims that countless government initiatives to improve mathematics teaching have failed.

He feels that at primary level, teachers sometimes do not have enough mathematical knowledge to understand where the subject is going, while at secondary level lessons can be unexciting and boring.

David explains that government initiatives do not strike at the heart of the issues and, while the National Numeracy Strategy was a good start, students would benefit from provision of a solid foundation in mathematical concepts starting in primary schools. He takes inspiration from Hungary where teachers operate in a livelier and more interactive fashion, involving the whole class while, at the same time, promoting the use of correct mathematical terms.

This approach has been adapted by Plymouth University, together with the Mathematics Enhancement Project and is being trialled in schools around the country. Chloe Doyle, Year Four class teacher at St Mark's C.E. Junior School in Wiltshire, really enjoys the range of activities and the interactive nature of the new approach adopted by the school. Sue Pender, Headteacher, explains that students have become more confident since the introduction of this approach and are enjoying mathematics lessons much more than previously.