Government proposals to overhaul maths in schools risk turning children off the subject by introducing "too much too soon", experts warned today.
The National Numeracy charity raised concerns that the new curriculum will rush children through topics, leaving many youngsters in danger of falling behind.
It said that the curriculum must be more than an "atomised" list of concepts that pupils must learn, otherwise youngsters will fail to develop confidence and understanding in the subject.
In a letter to Education Secretary Michael Gove, National Numeracy chief executive Mike Ellicock said that rushing from one topic to another is "a recipe for failure".
The warning comes the day that a consultation into the new draft curriculum is due to close.
In his letter, Mr Ellicock said that the new curriculum does not address the "fundamental" issue of building pupils' confidence in maths.
"It appears to us to impose a rushed, superficial 'rigour' by introducing too much too soon, with the danger that many children fall by the wayside and lose interest," the letter said.
Primary school maths lessons should focus on an "essential core" of concepts that pupils are confident in using.
The letter added that many teachers are likely to feel ill-equipped to teach the proposed curriculum, and could resort to teaching to the test.
Mr Ellicock also said it was essential that the curriculum "does not offer merely an atomised list of maths concepts and skills that pupils need to learn, but recognises the inter-connected nature of these concepts and skills, and addresses the fundamental issue of children's confidence and resilience in the subject".
Speaking as the letter was sent to Mr Gove, Mr Ellicock said that the government was "missing a major opportunity".
"Children will develop confidence and resilience in maths only if they are given the time, encouragement and skilled teaching they need to allow them to understand the essential concepts. Rushing on from one element to another - regardless of whether the basics are fully grasped - is a recipe for failure."
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The new back-to-basics curriculum, due to be introduced in England's schools next year, contains plans for pupils to memorise their times tables up to 12 by age nine, multiply and divide fractions by age 11 as well as learn topics such as geometry, long division and multiplication and decimals.
Mr Ellicock welcomed the Government's move to make maths skills a priority, but he added: "Our conclusion remains that the curriculum proposals continue to contain serious flaws that run counter to the stated aims of gaining fluency in the fundamentals of mathematics, the ability to reason mathematically and the ability to solve non-routine problems."
