16-19 Participation in education

Written Evidence Submitted by Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education

About ACME

The Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME www.acme-uk.org) is an independent committee, based at the Royal Society and operating under its auspices, that aims to influence Government strategy and policies with a view to improving the outcomes of mathematics teaching and learning in England and so secure a mathematically enabled population. The ACME response has been informed by input from the mathematics community through the ACME Outer Circle, a group assembled to encompass a breadth of knowledge, support and influence which we consult on key issues.

SUMMARY: Mathematics is an enabling subject where increased proficiency is of value to the individual, to society and to the economy. Raising the participation age to 18 is likely to considerably increase the number of students on vocational pathways, many with below average mathematics attainment at 16. Almost all of these students would benefit from taking some mathematics. It will be necessary to develop and widen the post-16 mathematics curriculum to make better provision for such students, and to increase the number of people able to teach mathematics appropriately at this level. It will be essential that many more teachers of mathematics are recruited and trained to provide for these new students. CPD for those who teach vocational subjects which involve mathematics is also essential.

1. ACME (Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this inquiry, particularly addressing the second and third questions. Mathematics plays a unique role in the potential economic, intellectual and social contribution that individuals can make to the nation. Mathematics underpins many vocational and academic areas, so that a good knowledge of the subject opens many doors, while lack of skill and understanding in mathematics can impede progress in many areas of life.

2. There is a minimum level of competence and understanding which is required for an individual to be a functioning citizen. This level is not always achieved by those who currently leave education at the age of 16.

3. By international standards a very small proportion of students in the 16 -19 age range continues to study mathematics at any level [1] . This has serious economic and social consequences for the nation and also limits the prospects of many individuals.

4. To remedy this it is necessary both to increase the participation rate post-16, and to provide appropriate mathematical ‘pathways’ to post-16 students. ACME has begun to address the issues concerned in its paper Post-16 in 2016 [2] . This paper recognises that it is not sufficient for post-16 provision in mathematics simply to consist of A-level mathematics for those who have been successful at GCSE and repeated attempts at GCSE for those yet to be successful. The paper describes four pathways which it believes should be available, ranging from Pathway A (which would be designed to give a qualification equivalent to GCSE mathematics, but would not simply be a repeat of GCSE) to pathway D which would be the full A-level programme.

5. A substantial number of those who continue to study post-16 drop mathematics. When at 18 they proceed to work or further study, many find that they have insufficient mathematics, and that even what they have is poorly remembered. This occurs for a number of reasons, including poor advice and guidance. Many who could continue with AS or A level Mathematics, or other level 3 related qualifications, do not do so because they think they will achieve higher grades in other subjects. Such students rarely consider the consequences of not studying mathematics at this level. However, the forthcoming ACME extensive research project on the mathematical needs of employers and higher education [3] makes clear the importance of mathematics to individuals and the economy, and provides detailed insight to inform policy in developing the curriculum and corresponding structures to improve the provision of mathematics education. It is clear from this work that increased post-16 participation in mathematics across the full ability range is vital.

6. For the purposes of this inquiry, we will now focus on students who do not currently stay in education post-16, but will do so as the participation age increases to 18. It is highly desirable that the majority of these students will continue to study mathematics. For many of these the route referred to above as Pathway A will be appropriate. Some elements of this pathway already exist as Free Standing Mathematics Qualifications and Functional Mathematics. It will be important that the pathway is designed to give a qualification equivalent (both for employers and for progression purposes) to GCSE mathematics, and that it is not simply a repeat of GCSE. Materials adapted to more mature learners with an appreciation of more contexts would be developed, and the use of spreadsheets and other software would be integrated. Project work would be included in this pathway.

7. It will be absolutely vital to prepare for the increased participation rate by training more teachers (via initial teacher training and CPD) to provide mathematics to these students. It is already difficult to recruit sufficient good quality teachers of mathematics. A two-pronged attack will be necessary, involving an intensified effort to bring more highly qualified mathematicians into the system as a whole, and developing teachers who are not so well qualified in mathematics in a way which makes them effective teachers of mathematics to a wide range of post-16 students.

8. The existing training infrastructure will need to be expanded to ensure that it covers training for teachers to provide for larger cohorts of students of this age group who are not focused on A-levels. With the raising of the age limit, teachers will be required to review both the content of the teaching in mathematics, ensuring relevance, but will also need to consider motivational aspects for encouraging participation in the subject.

9. Considerable resource and expertise will be required here, but even in the current economic climate funding must be made available; this funding is likely to be cost effective in the longer term.

10. It will be necessary to develop teaching materials to help teachers relate the mathematics in specific contexts to a generic set of mathematical items so that there is improved opportunity for both teacher and student to see that a piece of mathematics learned in one context may be used in another, and to keep open the possibility of a student making further progress in mathematics itself.

11. Many of the points made in the ACME response to the Wolf review of 14-19 Vocational Education are also relevant to this inquiry [4] .

25th March 2011