Gove unveils new 'real life' maths curriculum for sixth formers to encourage pupils to study subject

Pupils will be encouraged to keep studying maths until 18 with a new course which teaches them to tackle ‘real life’ problems.

Education Secretary Michael Gove today announced funds to create a curriculum aimed at sixth-formers who abandon maths after their GCSEs.

Youngsters would study the maths behind real-world scenarios such as the cost-effectiveness of washing machine insurance, the trustworthiness of opinion polls and the odds of lotteries being fixed.

Strategy: Michael Gove today announced funds to create a curriculum aimed at sixth-formers who abandon maths after their GCSEs

 

They would learn to interpret graphs, manipulate spreadsheets, estimate quantities and calculate probability and risk. The initiative is aimed at improving England’s dismal record at teaching pupils maths beyond the age of 16. Just 15 per cent of pupils carry on with the subject beyond compulsory education - among the worst study rates in the developed world.

The new course is part of a drive by Mr Gove to encourage the ‘vast majority’ of pupils to take maths until the age of 18 within a decade. He has already announced plans to make it compulsory for youngsters who fall short of C grades in GCSE maths to carry on studying the subject beyond 16. These youngsters will continue working towards GCSEs or pursue an alternative qualification.

The new curriculum - which would be optional - will be aimed at pupils with at least a C in GCSE maths who do not plan to progress to maths A-level. It aims to produce a generation of mathematically-educated citizens with reasoning and problem-solving skills that could be used in the workplace or for studying degree courses not directly related to science or maths.

Those considering taking a subject with heavy maths content at university would be expected to continue with A-levels. The initiative began with a blog published by internationally-renowned mathematician Professor Timothy Gowers.

 

The Cambridge University academic wrote a blueprint for a curriculum for teaching maths to sixth-formers through real-world problems.
The idea is being championed and turned into reality by the charity Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), which will be granted funding of £275,000 from Mr Gove.

If the course proves successful after development and trials, it could be offered across the country from 2015.

To improve record: The initiative is aimed at improving England's dismal record at teaching pupils maths - just 15 per cent of pupils carry on with the subject beyond compulsory education

 

Welcoming the initiative, Mr Gove said: ‘Professor Tim Gowers’s brilliant blog has sparked huge interest in how we could radically improve maths teaching.
‘I am delighted that MEI is trying to develop the Gowers blog into a real course that could help thousands of students understand the power of mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills.’
While the course will require pupils to study ‘difficult’ mathematical and statistical content, the key focus will be tackling real-life posers.

Charlie Stripp, chief executive of MEI, said: ‘This is a new type of maths course that will start from interesting, difficult realistic problems, that students can see the point of solving, and show them how maths can help solve them.

‘Many students are turned off maths because they can’t see the point of learning maths techniques to answer textbook questions that seem irrelevant to real life.
‘We hope this course will motivate many more young people to take maths post-16, instead of dropping it after their GCSEs, only to regret it later when they realise they lack the skills they need.’