Thousands of the country's brightest girls will get the
opportunity to study advanced maths and progress into AI-related
careers, as the government invests in the skills young people
need for the jobs of tomorrow.
Currently only a third of A level maths pupils are girls, while
currently only 22% of professionals working in AI related roles
like software engineer or data science are women.
Now through our Plan for Change, around 7,500 girls will be
eligible for support as part of £8.2m funding announced today to
improve participation and teaching of advanced maths. The
funding, part of the refreshed Advanced Maths Support Programme,
will target support to thousands of pupils from 400 disadvantaged
secondary schools – breaking the link between background and
success so all young people have the chance to progress in
careers of the future.
Education Secretary, , said:
“Today's brightest maths minds are tomorrow's AI pioneers, and
this government is opening the door for groups who have so far
been left behind in the AI revolution.
“Through our Plan for Change we are breaking down barriers to
opportunity, backing our young people and going further and
faster for AI growth, ensuring the next generation can progress
in the exciting careers of the future.”
The updated Advanced Maths Support Programme includes pilot
teacher training and student enrichment courses on the key maths
concepts and skills needed for AI and this will benefit 450
students and 360 teachers from September.
It marks a crucial step in delivering a key commitment in the
government's AI Action Plan – creating a strong talent pipeline
and driving greater diversity across the AI talent
pool.
It comes as the Education Secretary convenes a group of experts
to advise on what changes are needed to the 5-18 education system
to improve digital education and give young people the
AI-specific skills they need to thrive in a digital world. The
Digital, AI and Technology Task and Finish Group, chaired by Sir
, non-executive board member
at the Department for Education, will provide recommendations to
the department, and insights for the Curriculum and Assessment
Review, so they can draw on this expertise.
Members include Rose Luckin, Professor of Learner-Centred Design
at University College London and Dr Sue Sentance, Director of the
Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre at the
University of Cambridge and Chair of the BCS Schools and Colleges
Committee.
Science Secretary, said:
“AI is the defining technology of our generation, improving our
public services, sparking fresh economic growth, and unlocking
the jobs of the future. We can only harness that potential if we
have a pipeline of talent equipped with the skills they need for
the jobs of tomorrow.
“This package of support will help us deliver our Plan for Change
and do exactly that. This is the first step in our plan to give
every young person in the country the opportunity to develop the
tools which will put them front and centre in delivering our
AI-powered future.”
Notes to editors:
- Education Secretary and Angie Ma, CEO of
Faculty AI at a hackathon earlier this year.
- Ellie Sleightholm, maths influencer who went through the AMSP
and went on to do a masters in maths at Cambridge.
- The Advanced Maths Support Programme (AMSP) is managed by
Mathematics Education Innovation (MEI) - a maths education
charity. It aims to increase participation in Core Maths, AS/A
level Mathematics and Further Mathematics, and improve the
teaching of these level 3 maths qualifications.
- Dr Nisreen Ameen, Royal Holloway, University of London, has
been commissioned to undertake research as part of her fellowship
at the British Academy. This project provides direct employer and
workforce evidence on AI skills inequalities and the key
interventions required to address these inequalities.
- A level Mathematics remains the single most popular A level
subject since 2014, with almost 100k entries and taken by 32% of
A level students at the end of 16-18 study in 2024.
- Significantly fewer girls continue the study of Maths into
level 3 compared with boys. In 2024, 37% of A Level Maths
pupils were female, while 27% of A Level Further Maths pupils
were female.
- Proportionally it is falling. In 2019, 38.5% of A level
pupils were female, compared to 37% in 2024. For Further Maths A
level the figure for 2024 is 27.1% down from 28.4% in
2019.
- 32.9% disadvantaged students achieved a strong pass (grade
5+) in GCSE Maths compared to 60.2% non-disadvantaged
(2023/24).
- Students from disadvantaged backgrounds perform less well in
a Maths A level and Further Maths compared to non-disadvantaged
students (64% and 76% achieving an A* to C respectively in A
level Maths, and 80% and 90% respectively for A level Further
Maths in 2024).
- The AMSP was launched in 2018 and has supported over 2,500
schools and colleges to date (as of 2024). New elements of the
programme, announced today, ensure it continues to provide the
most impact for pupils by preparing them for the skills needs of
the future. Overall investment remains the same.
-
Ellie Sleightholm, a software developer who
went through the AMSP before going on to study a Masters in
maths at Cambridge, said: "Too many girls rule themselves out
of maths before they've even had the chance to see what they're
capable of. I know that feeling, I've been there. What changed
everything for me was encouragement, great teaching, and the
space to grow in confidence. This investment isn't about
boosting maths grades, it's about showing thousands of young
women that they belong in these spaces, and that careers in AI
and Technology are well within reach. I'm so excited to see
this programme open doors for the next
generation.”
-
Dr Angie Ma, co-founder of Faculty AI and
member of the Executive Group at Maths Horizons, pursued a
career in AI despite family expectations steering her towards
law: "Maths underpins any career in AI, and studying it opens
the door to highly-skilled, highly-paid, and highly-prized
jobs. Today's moves to widen access are welcome, as we cannot
hope to be an AI superpower if half the population remain
chronically underrepresented in maths classrooms and technology
companies."
- Members of the Digital, AI and Technology Task and Finish
Group are:
-
Kristopher Boulton, CEO of Unstoppable
Learning
-
Beverly Clarke MBE, CEO of Technology
Books for Children
-
Nick Kind, Managing Director at Tyton
Partners
-
Lynette Leith OBE, Deputy CEO and
Curriculum Lead at Hull College
-
Professor Rose Luckin, Professor of
Learner Centred Design at University College London Knowledge
Lab
-
Lynne McClure OBE, Chair of the Education
sub-committee of the Academy for the Mathematical
Sciences
-
, interim CEO
of Oak National Academy
-
Dr Sue Sentance, Director of the
Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre at the
University of Cambridge and Chair of the BCS Schools and
Colleges Committee
-
Cheryl Shirley, Director of Digital
Learning at LEO Academy Trust
-
Professor Nick Drydakis, Director of the
Centre for Inclusive Societies and Economies at Anglia Ruskin
University, and AI and Inequality Course Convenor at the
University of Cambridge, said: “This government initiative
marks a transformative step towards closing the gender gap in
advanced mathematics and AI. Research consistently shows that a
significant AI capital divide persists, with underrepresented
groups often lacking the early educational foundations needed
to thrive in the digital economy. By focusing on advanced
mathematics from an early stage, this programme not only
addresses structural inequalities but also helps to build the
diverse and inclusive talent pipeline essential for responsible
and innovative AI development. It is a vital public investment
in a fairer and more technologically empowered future.”
-
Dr. Erin Young, Head of Innovation and
Technology Policy, Institute of Directors
said: “A strong and inclusive AI talent pipeline
is essential to delivering the government's AI Opportunities
Action Plan. Ensuring that girls and students from
disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds have access to
relevant educational pathways such as advanced maths is not
only fair, but it is also a strategic economic imperative
underpinning a dynamic, competitive and equitable UK workforce.
The Institute of Directors welcomes this important investment
in the next generation of leaders who will build and govern the
digital-first companies driving UK growth.”
-
James Lee, Senior Manager, Public Policy
and Economic Graph at LinkedIn said: “LinkedIn welcomes
the Government's AI Opportunities Plan and its focus on skills
as a critical driver of successful adoption.Our latest AI
Skills Trends in the UK report, shows that just 29.5% of AI
talent on Linkedin in the UK are women despite women making up
43% of the overall workforce. Closing this gap starts early,
and advanced maths can provide a vital gateway into future AI
careers for young people from underrepresented
backgrounds.”
-
Julia Adamson MBE, MD for Education and Public
Benefit at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said: “Helping
girls and disadvantaged students access opportunities in
advanced maths and AI-related careers is vital to the UK's
growth and to creating individual opportunities. More young
people—and a rising number of young women—are choosing to study
AI because they see it as a way to shape the future. We're
seeing a strong rise in applications to specialised AI degrees
this year; however, these programmes still make up a relatively
small share of computing education overall. Growing this
pipeline—through degrees, digital apprenticeships and lifelong
learning—is essential to maintaining the UK's global leadership
in AI.”
-
Bill Watkin, Chief Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges
Association, said: “This is a very welcome
initiative that we fully support. Sixth form colleges lead the
way in delivering A level maths and will embrace this
additional support to boost the number of girls studying maths
and use their skills in AI-related fields.”
