ABSTRACT
Sitting together and planning a yearly programme for mathematics topics does not have to be a lengthy task. Many schools have adopted a whole school approach to this level of planning. What is increasingly being seen as vital if long-term planning is to become more effective and efficient is that planning groups need access to a mathematics coordinator who can quickly outline how a general topic label like ‘algebra’ can be broken down in a detailed way into a possible sequence of relevant and pleasurable experiences for children from 4-11 and their teachers. This demands a much greater knowledge of the mathematics curriculum than coordinators were expected to demonstrate prior to the National Curriculum. It is not a reflection of teacher inadequacy but a
sign of increased expectation emerging from the recognised need for children to acquire a greater understanding of mathematics.
