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Early Childhood Mathematics Group
Contact: Sheila Ebbutt
The group was started in 1996 by a group of mathematics educators concerned about the direction of nursery and early primary education.
The group has grown steadily; the membership consists of nursery and reception teachers, mathematics lecturers, local authority advisors and freelance consultants. People have joined from all over the UK. It costs £5 a year to join.
The group meets on Saturdays about six times a year at the Institute of Education, Bedford Way, London. Why London? It’s easy to get there from mainline railway stations, thus people can get there readily from outside London. Nowhere else is quite as accessible to everyone. Fares are paid by group funds, which are provided by ATM.
At the meetings, we discuss current mathematics education issues; exchange the latest information; share problems and solutions and look at the realities of classroom practice. We also take on tasks such as writing immediate responses to draft curriculum documents, writing articles for professional publications, and developing curriculum materials.
As a group we wrote the highly acclaimed Learning Mathematics in the Nursery: Desirable Approaches, which won the 1998 TES/EPA Primary Schoolbook of the Year award. Members of the group have written leaflets for the Basic Skills Agency, and articles for various professional magazines. We have run two day-conferences on early childhood mathematics.
Members of this group also wrote 'Number without a Worksheet' which contains number activities that bridge the gap between R and Y1.
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We have responded to current initiatives by
- writing mathematics examples for the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage
- writing articles for publications such as Nursery World and the TES
- writing for Mathematics Teaching
- responding to official publications such as Desirable Outcomes, Baseline Assessment, National Numeracy Strategy Reception Framework, and now the revised curriculum guidance for 0-5 years
Plans for the future
- a book on Shape and Space Without a Worksheet for the ATM
- reviewing current publications and resources for the early years
- monitoring developments in early childhood mathematics education in the UK
- writing articles in the professional press
- broadening the network within early childhood mathematics in the UK
More information
Get information about meetings and activities from Sheila Ebbutt.
