Snapshotsmaths

DECEMBER 2014

•Establishasuiteofqualificationsthatmeetsthemathematicalneedsofallpost-16learners.

•Encourageuniversitiesandemployerstosignaltheimportanceofmathsqualifications.

•Ensurethesupplyofqualifiedteachersissufficientfortheincreaseinpost-16maths.

Mathsforallto18

Allyoungpeopleuptotheageof18shouldstudyrelevantmathsandbecomeconfidentinusingit.

• From2015,allyoungpeoplewillremainineducationortraininguntilatleasttheageof18inEngland.

• SchoolsandcollegeswillteachmathstoallyoungpeoplewhohavenotachievedGCSEgradeCorabove(‘level2’)byage16.

• Ifyoungpeoplehaveachievedlevel2maths,theyshouldcontinuewithAS/AlevelMathsorequivalent(‘level3’)ortakefurtherrelevantmaths.

• Increasedfunding,aswellasteachersupplyandfurthertrainingisneededtomeettheseaspirations.

Wherearewenow?

ThereisbroadagreementabouttheneedforyoungpeopleinEnglandtocontinuestudyingmathstoatleast18.

•MathsAlevelentriesinEnglandhaverisensince2002from44,000toover80,000in2013.FurtherMathshasalmostdoubledinthelastfewyearstonearly13,000in2013.(1)

•However,participationratesinAlevelMathsinEnglandremainlowrelativetootherdevelopedcountries,withonlycirca20%ofstudentstakingmathspost-16.(2)

•Level3‘CoreMaths’qualificationsarebeingdevelopedforthecohortofover200,000youngpeoplewhohaveatleastaGCSEgradeCbutwhodonotchoosetostudythesubjectatAlevel.(3)

•50%ofpost-16learnersdonotachievegradeCinGCSEMaths(andEnglish)andareexpectedtocontinuestudyingthesesubjectspost-16.(4)

•ResittingGCSEMathsisoftenanegativeexperienceandresultsaregenerallypoor,especiallyforthosewithpriorgradeslowerthanD.

•Post-16pathwaysforstudentswithoutaGCSEgradeCinmathsarecurrentlyunclear.

•Manyentrantstohighereducationwouldbenefitfromcontinuingmathsupto18butarenotcurrentlyrequiredtodoso.(5)

•Employersbemoantheshortageofpeoplewithhigh-levelmathematicalskills,andthecapacityofemployeestoapplymathsintheworkplace.(6)

‘CoreMaths’is“suitableforthe‘middlegroup’ofstudents–thosewithagradeCoraboveinGCSEmathsatage16whoarenottakingAS/AlevelmathsorInternationalBaccalaureate(IB)mathsaspartoftheir16-18programme”.

DepartmentforEducation,Technicalguidance

Whatarethechallenges?

Achievinguniversalparticipationinmathstotheageof18isasignificanttask.

•Thereareinsufficientnumbersofteachersofmathstodelivertheseaspirationsinschoolsandcolleges.(7)

•Teachers,employersandHigherEducationneedsignificanttimetobecomefamiliarwithnewqualifications.

•Teachingmorestudentswillcostmore.

•RecentincreasesinmathsAlevelparticipationneedtobesustained.(SeeMathsSnapshot:Mathseducationpolicy.)

Whatneedstohappen?

1.Establishaclearandcoherentsuiteofmathsqualificationstomeettheneedsandaspirationsofallpost-16learners.

• Qualificationsatalllevelsshouldbeengagingandrelevanttolearners’needsandaspirations.

• Qualificationsmustbeunderstoodandvaluedbyteachers,students,parents,advisers,employersanduniversities.

• Ahigh-qualitycommunicationstrategyisneededtoexplaintherangeofpost-16mathsqualificationsavailableandtheirdifferentfunctions.

• ‘CoreMaths’andalternativestore-takingGCSEarestrategicdevelopmentprioritiesandneedtobeadequatelyfunded.

• Qualificationpathways,eitherwithinmaths,orwheremathsisrequiredorencouraged,shouldbeclear.

2.Encourageuniversitiesandemployerstosignaltheimportanceofthefullrangeofmathematicsqualifications.

• Stakeholdersshouldhaveconfidenceinthecurrencyandmathematicalusefulnessoftherangeofqualifications.

• Universities,supportedbylearnedsocieties,andprofessionaltrainingorganisations,shouldclearlyidentifyappropriatemathsqualificationsasentryrequirementstotheircourses.

3.Ensurethatthesupplyofqualifiedteachersissufficientfortheforthcomingincreaseinpost-16mathematicalstudy.

• Ateachersupplystrategyisneededtomeettheanticipatedexpansionofpost-16mathematicalstudy.(SeeMathsSnapshot:Teachersofmaths.)

• Existingteachersneedhigh-quality,subject-specificprofessionaldevelopmenttosupportthedeliveryofnewcourses.

• Curriculumleadersneedprofessionaldevelopmentandsupportmaterialstoenablethemtodesigninspiringstudypathwaysforalllearnersupto18.

1:www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-england-2012-to-2013-revised

2:http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/uk-outlier-upper-secondary-maths-education

3:www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266717/Policy_statement_on_16-18_Core_Maths_qualifications_-_final__3_.pdf

4:www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/180504/DFE-00031-2011.pdf

5:http://www.acme-uk.org/news/news-items-repository/2011/6/launch-of-the-acme-mathematical-needs-project

6:www.cbi.org.uk/media/878615/7B754FFBFF7969E58025778B0053AF26__20100801-making-it-all-add-up.pdf

Forfurtherinformationaboutthe

AdvisoryCommitteeonMathematicsEducation:

Tel:+44(0)2074512588email:acme@royalsociety.org

www.acme-uk.org @ACMEmaths

Mathsqualifications

Level 1 GCSE Maths (grades D-G) First teaching 2015

First teaching 2017

First teaching 2015

Level 3 AS/ A level Maths and Further Maths

Core Maths

Level 2 GCSE Maths (grades A*-C) First teaching 2015