Sir, John Sidwell (letter, Aug 24) suggests that a way forward in maths teaching would be for the older children to help the younger ones. In India in 1787, at an orphanage, Andrew Bell developed a system whereby the teacher taught the ablest pupils and each of them would teach another group of children. On his return to England in 1798 he introduced this “Madras” system. It became popular, and some 12,000 schools in Britain and the colonies adopted the method. It did not long survive his death — but possibly it has a role to play if we are so short of maths teachers.
Roger Sainsbury
London N10