Secretary of State for Education (): The Prime Minister has
set out a campaign to transform our national approach to maths.
We are one of the few countries in the OECD where young people do
not routinely study some form of maths up to the age of 18.
Without a solid foundation in this subject, our young people risk
being left behind and shut out of the careers to which they
aspire and the lives they want to lead. We plan to change the way
our system works so that everyone will study some form of maths
to 18.
So, today I am announcing an Expert Advisory Group to advise the
Prime Minister and me on the essential maths knowledge and skills
young people need to study. To support the group, the Government
will commission research on post-16 maths provision around the
world, ensuring the curriculum in this country rivals that of the
highest performing countries. Alongside this, the Institute for
Apprenticeships and Technical Education will work with employers
to review the maths content in apprenticeships.
Since 2010, the Government has transformed the way maths is
taught in schools based on the best available international
evidence, including approaches from the highest performing
countries in the world. Supported by 40 Maths Hubs (exemplary
schools in the teaching of maths) and the National Centre for
Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, mastery-based pedagogy
from southeast Asia has been adopted by more than half of
England’s primary schools. In the 2019 TIMSS international
survey, Year 5 pupils in England achieved their highest ever
maths score.
To complement evidence-based approaches to maths teaching and
content, the Government introduced more challenging assessments
at both primary and secondary schools, including the times tables
check in Year 4, new Key Stage 2 maths tests, and reformed GCSEs
and A levels. These assessments ensure children are taught and
master the basics of mathematics, before tackling more demanding
content. The success of these approaches was reflected in
England’s highest mathematics PISA results for 15-year-olds in
2019.
To continue this progress, the Government is today also
announcing:
- An increase in the number of schools supported by the Maths
Hubs Teaching for Mastery programme to reach 75% of primary
schools and 65% of secondary schools by 2025. We will introduce
intensive Maths Hubs support for the schools that need it most.
We will also provide further support for teachers of 16–19 year
olds who are resitting their maths GCSE or Functional Skills
Qualifications.
- An expansion of the Mastering Number programme, which helps
children in the first years of primary school master the basics
of arithmetic, including number bonds and times tables. This
programme will be delivered by Maths Hubs, reaching over 8,000
schools by 2024. We will also expand the programme into Years 4
and 5 to bolster fluency in times tables.
- An expansion of the Taking Teaching Further programme,
delivering funding for Further Education (FE) colleges to recruit
and offer early career support to those with the relevant
knowledge and industry experience to retrain as FE teachers. We
will launch a financial incentive pilot this year for up to 355
teachers, targeted at some of the hardest-to-fill subjects,
including maths.
- A new fully funded maths National Professional Qualification
for those leading maths in primary schools, teaching participants
how to train other teachers to embed mastery pedagogy. We expect
to make this available to all primary schools from February 2024.
We will offer an updated Targeted Support Fund for the 2023-24
academic year, providing additional funding to incentivise
primary school teachers and leaders, including in the smallest
schools.
Today’s announcement sets out how we will deliver the Prime
Minister’s ambition to see all young people study maths to the
age of 18 and ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and
skills needed to succeed in the modern economy.
