There is still plenty of discussion about Rishi Sunak’s announcement at the start of 2023 that all students would be expected to continue with mathematics until they are 18. Sunak gave further detail of his vision in April, which included a new expert group to advise on what maths content is required for students to succeed in adulthood. As the UK stills lag behind many other countries in the proportion of students taking post-16 maths and UK employers are still highlighting a shortage of maths skills, it is fairly safe to say that this policy will continue no matter the composition of the next government.
Post-16 Maths is, of course, why the AMSP is here, and we have got you covered for A-level and Further Mathematics. But what about your students not studying A-level? Are you considering widening your student offer and possibly getting ahead of the curve? Well, we’ve got you covered there too.
Much of the discussion around how Sunak’s vision would be implemented involves Core Maths, with many suggesting this could be a qualification that all those not studying other post-16 maths could follow. If clarification on what Core Maths is and where it fits in the curriculum, more details can be found here.
The AMSP’s support for Core Maths is growing all the time. Information about setting up the qualification is here, and your local area coordinator will be happy to assist you too. There’s plenty of support for current or new Core Maths teachers, with resources and our professional development offer. This includes the Common Topics online PD and on-demand Top-Ups PD.
We’re also expanding our Core Maths events for students. A number have been held this year, with a couple more that may be relevant. Where Maths meets the World of Work at Nottingham University and the Keele Student/Teacher Problem-Solving Conference.
We’ll be hosting more events for Core Maths students and tasters for KS4 students in the next academic year. So, keep an eye out for those, and please don’t hesitate to contact your local area coordinator if you’d like to be involved in a Core Maths enrichment events.
by James Maloney