primary framework for literacy and mathematics. Lord Adonis’s foreword seems predictable, saying “national test results show progress is not being sustained across the board”. Clearly, this means that primary teachers could still do better.

Such implied criticism is practically compulsory in today’s blame culture.

But the Government’s use of “mathematics”, not “numeracy”, in the title is surprising. Maybe next year it will drop “literacy” for “English” and we’ll be back to the halcyon days of 1998 when these irritating Americanisms were first thrust upon us.

Mike Price

Plumstead

London