On Tuesday 13 August 2024, Nicola Woolcock, Education Editor for The Times, covered the shrinking number of maths students on page 6 of the day’s printed edition of the newspaper.
The report covers the falling number of students pursuing maths degrees despite record numbers taking the subject at A-level. A new report by Professor Paul Wakeling commissioned by CaMS highlights that first-year enrolments in maths were only marginally higher in n2021-22 than in 2021-13.
In a bid to make maths degrees more attractive, the report outlines the Maths Degrees for the Future, a new project launched by CaMS. The project will offer grants of up to £500,000 to fund innovation in maths teaching and curriculum design. Further details on the project will be released in the coming weeks as the campaign looks to tackle further cuts to university maths departments.
Professor Jens Marklof, President of the London Mathematical Society, said: “The record number of pupils receiving A Level maths results this week is incredibly encouraging.
“Maths is key to the UK’s brightest future – it underpins many of our most urgent technologies such as AI and quantum computing, and is key to solving the nation’s challenges from climate change and epidemiology to national security. The fund will set a pathway for the future of teaching maths, with the aim to increase the overall pool of students going into a mathematical sciences degree.”
Professor Paul Wakeling of York University said: “Over the past decade, maths has been losing share within UK undergraduate education and there are clear patterns in how the undergraduate population skews in terms of geographical location, sex, socio economic background and the sort of institution where the subject is most likely to be studied. There is a danger of an unhelpful feedback loop whereby maths becomes the preserve of a narrower slice of the population.”
Bobby Seagull, maths teacher and broadcaster, said: “Maths is too often taken for granted. There is a huge amount of maths talent in this country… and we must do everything we can to ensure we harness all of it. It fills my heart with joy to see so many students getting A-level maths results this week.”
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