Hope again: why maths education matters for opportunity
At this year’s Labour Party Conference, the Observatory for Mathematical Education hosted a fringe event exploring how maths education can help break down barriers to opportunity – one of the Government’s key missions at the last general election. With ‘hope again’ as the conference theme, our discussion was a timely opportunity to consider what it means to give every young person the chance to succeed in maths, whatever their background.
For young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, attaining at least a Grade 4 (Grade C equivalent) in GCSE Mathematics can have a profound impact on life chances, while studying maths at university has – second only to medicine. Yet young people’s experiences and opportunities in maths are not the same.
So, what did we learn from those working directly with young people about how to ensure every young person has the opportunity to succeed?
What does opportunity look like in maths?
This was the question at the heart of our discussion. Our Associate Director, Dr Catherine Gripton was joined on the panel by leaders from across the education sector, each bringing a different perspective on the opportunities maths can provide – and the barriers that can prevent young people from accessing them.
Cath spoke in detail about the Observatory’s longitudinal study, and how the data generated by the study gives us a unique insight into the attitudes and experiences of around 50,000 learners, parents, teachers and curriculum leaders across 174 primary schools, 148 secondary school, and 41 sixth form colleges across England.
We were delighted to be joined by Jane Norman, Vice Chancellor of the 糖心原创, who spoke about the University’s commitment to working with its local community and widening access to higher education. The University’s partnership with the Observatory reflects a shared commitment to building the evidence base around mathematical education and understanding how young people’s experiences develop over time.
For Kate Ambrosi, CEO of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, the discussion also raised questions about how maths fits into different educational pathways. Drawing on her experience of UTCs, she highlighted the role maths can play within vocational education – an important consideration as the Government looks to expand the range of opportunities available to young people.
Leora Cruddas, CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts, brought a personal perspective to the question of engagement. She reflected on wishing her own teachers had instilled a joy of numbers in her from a younger age, and highlighted the importance of helping pupils understand why maths matters beyond the classroom. Seeing how mathematics connects to the wider world can be an important part of how young people engage with the subject.
Finally, Ed Dorrell, Partner at Public First shared perspectives having advised the Government on the Schools White Paper, bringing policy and evidence together in this thought provoking discussion.
Together, these perspectives highlighted that opportunity in maths is about more than examination results alone. It is also about whether young people can see a future for themselves in the subject, have access to the teaching and support they need, and are able to make choices about their education without their background, gender or location unnecessarily limiting those choices.
Building an evidence base for the future
For the Observatory, conversations such as this are an important opportunity to bring research and policy discussions together. There are no simple answers to the challenges facing mathematical education. But by following young people over time and bringing together evidence on attainment, experiences and attitudes, we can develop a richer understanding of what is happening – and where there is more to learn.
That is the purpose of our seven-year longitudinal study, which is following around 50,000 learners, parents and teachers through their educational journeys. It allows us to look beyond individual snapshots of attainment and understand how experiences of maths change over time.
We’re now less than a month away from launching the latest Review of Mathematical Education. For the first time, this year’s Review will allow us to compare the experiences and attitudes of the same young people at different stages of their education – from Reception to Year 1, Year 7 to Year 8, and Year 12 to Year 13.
At a conference centred on ‘hope again’, our discussion was ultimately about opportunity: understanding how young people experience maths, where those experiences differ, and what the evidence can tell us about how we can support them throughout their education.
Author information
is the Communications and Public Affairs Manager at the Observatory for Mathematical Education.