Recommendation 13

HM Government · verbatim extract Not Addressed

47. We know from the 2011 Skills for Life survey that around 8 million adults in England have numeracy skills lower than those expected of a 9 year old.6 Our latest evidence shows that only around half of 16–19 year olds study any mathematics at all7 and the problem is particularly acute for disadvantaged pupils, 60% of whom do not have Level 2 mathematics and English at age 16.8 This problem has implications for the representation of certain groups in STEM in both education and employment. 6 2011 skills for life survey - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 7 Post-16 maths participation in 2015–16 (publishing.service.gov.uk) 8 Level 2 and 3 attainment age 16 to 25, Academic Year 2020/21 – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK (explore- education-statistics.service.gov.uk) Pre-16 mathematics 48. Since 2010, we have reformed the mathematics curriculum and examinations system, moving away from generic and superficial understanding and turning instead to a method informed by the East Asian teaching methods that enable pupils to acquire a deep and long-term understanding of mathematics and the fluency to perform calculations. This was accompanied by the introduction of a National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, which is now working with a network of 40 Maths Hubs to help local schools improve the quality of their teaching based on best practice. The Maths Hubs programme focuses on improving attainment, including gaps which may be associated with disadvantage, gender, or other factors. We also introduced a Multiplication Tables Check, ensuring every 9-year old knows their timetables. Last June, 27% achieved full marks in the test and the average score was 20 correct answers out of 25. Furthermore, pre-pandemic England achieved its highest ever mathematics score in both 2019 TIMSS international test for year 5 pupils, and the 2018 PISA test of 15 year olds. The UK was 28th in PISA 2009 and moved up to 18th in PISA 2018. 49. Teaching for Mastery pedagogy, which underpins everything that Maths Hubs do, is based on teaching methods used by top-performing East Asian countries. It encompasses a number of approaches focused on ensuring that pupils genuinely know, understand and can apply mathematics - many of which are individually highlighted as effective by Ofsted and others. Mastery is characterised by whole-class teaching, where pupils work on the same content together, ensuring no one gets left behind. It encourages all pupils with the belief that by working hard at mathematics they can succeed and rejects the idea that some pupils “can’t do mathematics”. A randomised controlled trial of the Department’s Centres for Excellence in Maths Programme, which provided mastery teaching support for GCSE resits, found it led to increases in GCSE scores for disadvantaged students. 50. On 17 April 2023, the Secretary of State for Education announced plans to extend the flagship Teaching for Mastery programme, which began in 2016, to reach 65% of secondary schools by 2025. This was accompanied by plans to provide more intensive Maths Hubs support to schools that need it most, ultimately supporting them to adopt evidence-informed mastery pedagogy. These plans sit alongside ongoing work to enhance mathematics teaching in secondary schools. Hubs run projects to bring teachers together across education phases and Key Stages to ensure good progression through the mathematics curriculum and provide professional development resources to support teaching quality. 51. Progress in secondary school, however, does not sit in isolation. Maths Hubs work across Key Stages to help make sure pupils are able to develop and build on firm foundations in mathematics. At primary level, for example, the Secretary of State for Education’s April announcement included the expansion of the primary Teaching for Mastery programme to reach 75% of primary schools by 2025. At the same time the new Mastering Number programme will be expanded to help pupils secure their understanding of multiplication in primary school. For post-16, the Maths Hubs programme will provide support for those teaching Level 2 mathematics at age 16–18, drawing on mastery approaches. Mathematics to 18 52. The UK remains one of the only countries in the world not to require pupils to study some form of mathematics up to the age of 18. This includes the majority of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Finland, Japan, Norway and the USA. 53. As mentioned in paragraph 7, the Prime Minister has set a new mission for all young people to study mathematics to age 18. The driving principle is to ensure that all young people are equipped with the right mathematics knowledge to succeed, whatever their chosen pathway. The mathematics young people are taught post-16 should be tailored to equip them for their future lives and careers, including careers in science and technology. We will build a clear route for a