Call over toddler maths skills

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Sir Peter Williams, Chancellor of Leicester University, said every primary school should have a specialist maths teacher and called for more mental arithmetic in class. He recommended urgent action to change England's "can't do attitude" to the subject.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls accepted Sir Peter's report in full.

Nearly one in four 11-year-olds leaves primary school without reaching the standard expected of the age group in numeracy.

At GCSE, more than half of teenagers fail to get five C-grades in subjects including maths and English.

The Williams Review said every child should leave primary school "without a fear of maths" and should master the basics of the subject by the age of seven.

From a young age children should be playing with shapes, time, capacity and numbers to foster their "natural instincts" in numeracy, the review said.

The suggestion is intended to help make mathematical experiences fun and build children's confidence in their ability to cope with the subject.

But parents should also play a greater role in helping their children enjoy maths, the report said.

The "can't do" approach to maths in England needs to be reversed as parental attitudes have a significant impact on the way children view the subject. The report said activities such as cooking at home can help children understand numeracy.