1. Mathematics education 20
Vanessa Pittard
Mathematics education 20
NCETM Digital Technologies Conference, 27 February 2013

2. The growing importance of maths
“We estimate that of those entering higher education in any year, some 330,000 would benefit from recent experience of studying some mathematics (including statistics) at a level beyond GCSE, but fewer than 125,000 have done so”. “Employers emphasised the importance of people having studied mathematics at a higher level than they will actually use. That provides them with the confidence and versatility to use mathematics in the many unfamiliar situations that occur at work”. “Working with mathematical models, which people need to be able to understand, interpret, interrogate and use advantageously, is becoming commonplace. The use of quantitative data is now omnipresent and informs workplace practice”.

3. The growing importance of maths
Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, 17 January 2013:
“No longer can these skills be considered a minority pursuit – maths has gone mass market … We need to do more to make sure children speak that language…Within a decade the vast majority of young people will be studying maths right through to 18”

4. TIMSS 2011 - aged 10 and 14 Age 10 – Year 5 Age 14 – Year 9
2011 score: 542 (9th of 50)
2011 score: 507 (10th of 42)
2007 score: 541 (7th of 36)
2007 score: 513 (7th of 45)
Data from TIMSS 2011 shows that England’s maths performance has not improved since 2007 either at age 10 or at age 14.
Put together with PISA 2009 data, it shows a lack of progress – while the East Asian nations are extending their lead.
The gap at age 10 between our strongest and weakest maths performers is one of the widest in TIMSS – with fewer of our pupils overall reaching the very highest levels.
A growing number of our students don’t even reach the lowest benchmark on that scale – 12 per cent at age 14, three times as many pupils falling behind in this country as in the US.
Significant increases to 2007
Significant difference in

5. A further challenge – post-16
According to the Nuffield Foundation, we have the smallest proportion of 16- to 18-year-olds studying maths of any of the 24 countries examined: far less than nations like France, the US, Ireland, New Zealand, Russia, Australia, Estonia, Spain, Germany or China. 85 per cent of Japanese students are studying the equivalent of A Level maths – in England it’s just 12 per cent of young people.

6. Inclusion in mathematics
PISA the gap in achievement between boys and girls in England was one of the widest in the world – with boys 20 points ahead, equivalent to around half a year of formal schooling.
Girls rate their ability in maths as lower than that of boys as early as the first year of primary school, even when their actual performance does not differ from that of boys
The attainment gap between FSM pupils and the rest is wider in maths than in English, history, or the sciences - 46 per cent of FSM pupils achieve GCSE maths at A* to C, compared with 70 per cent of the rest of the pupil population.
For those going on to A Level, comprehensive school students are half as likely to study maths as those in the independent and grammar sectors, yet are equally likely to study history or English.

7. Launch date: Thursday 7 February 2013
Closing date: Tuesday 16 April 2013
The Government launched a review of the National Curriculum in January 2011 with the aim of ensuring that the aspirations we set for our children match those in the highest-performing education jurisdictions, and giving teachers greater freedom over how to teach.

8. Aims of mathematics curriculum
become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time.
reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
coherence with content in other subjects - links across to science, computing and geography; Financial literacy in citizenship

9. Primary mathematics higher expectation overall
fewer things in more depth – pupils build firm foundations and are not accelerated to content expected in secondary school.
conceptual development of number addressed in detail 9

10. Secondary mathematics
higher expectation overall
consolidating understanding - Key Stage 3 builds on Key Stage 2
mathematics set out in more detail than current National Curriculum – with less specification of generic skills
preparing young people for further study post-16 as well as for work and personal life 10

11. What about post-16?
Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, 17 January 2013:
“Countries with higher maths uptake between 16 and 18 tend to offer mid-level qualifications at this age – what I describe as core maths – effectively as an alternative to A Level...
We need a range of approved qualifications that can provide rigorous, respected mathematical options for 16- to 19-year-olds who have achieved at least C at GCSE.”

12. Digital technology - opportunity
For schools, teachers and pupils:
Access to devices
Mobility and connectivity
Interfaces and design
User skills
Educational technology:
Better evidence base to inform developments
Greater sophistication e.g. intuitive interfaces; use of data
More ‘mainstream’

13. Thank you Vanessa Pittard20
NCETM Digital Technologies Conference, 27 February 2013