Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responded to the prime minister’s announcement of a new ambition of ensuring that all school pupils in England study some form of maths to the age of 18
Geoff Barton said: “It is important that the government sets out the evidence for extending maths for all students to the age of 18 before embarking upon a significant change affecting future generations.
“It may improve employability and the ability to cope with modern life, as the prime minister suggests, but it is important that this is based on solid research and is not a pet project.
“We would also want to hear how such a policy would avoid exacerbating the already-chronic national shortage of maths teachers.
“Currently, the post-16 qualifications system encourages students to specialise in a small number of subjects, and, in fact, government reforms in recent years have actually served to narrow the curriculum.
“There is a strong argument for developing a system which allows for greater subject breadth tailored around the needs of the student rather than simply bolting on more maths.”
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