Parents told to attend Maths lessons with children to improve primary results

They backed an inquiry into primary school maths, which calls for parents to learn up-to-date teaching methods to help their children with homework.

The review by Sir Peter Williams claimed parental involvement could improve standards and help to counter the UK's 'can't do' attitude.

But his suggestion that parents should take time off work for the lessons was criticised yesterday.

A teacher helps a boy with modern maths techniques: But they may be unfamiliar to his parents

Laura Warren, of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, said: 'Parents would welcome a better understanding of how their children are taught maths but there are lots of practicalities.

'If parents don't get it, they won't necessarily want their children to know that, and having visitors in a classroom will always be distracting for the children.

'As a working parent, I would rather not have a day off for it, and non-working parents may have younger children or other commitments.'

Sir Peter's measures were formulated to improve maths skills after Britain nosedived in international achievement tables last year.

Nearly a quarter of 11-year-olds leave primary school without the skills expected for their age. In addition to joint classes, parents will be encouraged to use home activities such as cooking to help with maths by 'sharing and cutting up food or weighing and measuring'.

Sir Peter, vice-president of the Royal Society, said teachers need to recognise the 'wealth of mathematical knowledge children pick up outside of the classroom' – primarily from their parents.

More should be done to help children who struggle with basic maths

His report said: 'The panel heard time and again from children that they would like their parents to be taught the methods they learn, which have changed considerably since their parents were at school.

'The lack of clarification and set-ting out of the methods of teaching is a missed opportunity for engaging parents and improving their children's attainment.

'A number of schools already run evening sessions for parents to help them with this. Others invite parents into school to work alongside their children.'

He praised a project in Hackney, East London, in which parents and children solve problems together and are set homework to share. 

In Swinton, Lancashire, parents receive classes on how maths is taught.

The review said: 'The United Kingdom is one of the few advanced nations where it is socially acceptable to profess an inability to cope with mathematics. We need to urgently reverse this so every pupil leaves primary school without a fear of maths.'

Among other recommendations, children will begin to learn about maths earlier.

Childminders and nurseries will encourage them to make marks on paper and count them and use toys to learn about numbers and quantities.

But the maths blueprint also calls for lessons for four to six-year-olds at school to

Schools Secretary Ed Balls agreed with the report in full

become less formal to smooth the transition from nursery.

There will be extra maths training for 13,000 primary staff so each school has a specialist teacher or, for small schools, access to one.

They will qualify for training and salary bonuses of up £8,000.

But Sir Peter 'reluctantly' decided against recommending ministers raise the level of achievement in maths needed to become a teacher – a C at GCSE.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls said: 'Basic maths concepts and language need to be firmly embedded in children's minds at a young age so all children are confident using numbers.

'Therefore, it is critical that we engage all children early in maths for them to do well at secondary level and in their GCSEs.'

But Tory schools spokesman Michael Gove said the report did not grasp the poor state of maths education, adding: 'This is a lost opportunity to improve how we teach maths in this country.'