With a long history of promoting the very best in learning and teaching Mathematics, The Mathematical Association actively engages in consultation and discussion on the issues currently affecting Mathematics education.
We respond professionally and constructively to ministerial announcements and to proposals from the Department for Education, and from bodies concerned with curricula, assessment and training. We comment on inquiry reports, academic research findings and reports published by organizations and learned bodies supporting Mathematics in Britain. Occasionally, we adopt position papers prompted by discussions amongst ordinary members, and at our committees.
We hope that we have something distinctive to say on Mathematics curriculum and pedagogy, formative and summative assessment, inspection, the dissemination of quality assurance information, and the training, expertise, professional development, recruitment and retention of Mathematics teachers.
The statement “Mathematical problem solving is an important aspect of Functional Skills, but it is also vital that the underpinning knowledge and skills required can be demonstrated in their own right.” undermines the original purpose of Functional Skills which was about the ability to use mathematics to solve problems in everyday adult contexts. The consultation document refers to relevance to “the workplace” and fails to mention every day contexts, and further study for all levels of Functional Skills.
The 45 minutes discussion was very professional and the conversation flowed well. We demonstrated that the joint Primary group can both support and challenge ideas within mathematics education. It was helpful having two colleagues from STA present as we were able to express thanks for being invited to attend the KS1 and KS2 expert test review panels. We also expressed interest in supporting the curriculum division within the Dfe. We used a range of sources (the Minister’s speeches, KS2 TA evidence, children’s work) to provide supporting evidence for the points we were making; e.g. that children should not be using a standard method for all questions in the NC tests, but they often do because teachers are led by the limiting mark scheme. All parties agreed this was not conducive to children learning. The meeting ended positively with all parties agreeing that opening lines of communication through this meeting had been helpful and would be useful to continue in the future.
Read the full summary here.
The paper arises from reflection on the duty of trustees of a charitable organisation (such as the MA) to periodically consider whether the charitable aims of the body would be better served by amalgamation with others. It should be read in conjunction with Sue Pope’s excellent article,The Future of UK Mathematics Associations, published in 2012 in Mathematics in School and Mathematics Teaching, here.
If you would like to share your thoughts please use this email to do so.
This outstanding project is not yet complete. Ceasing funding at this stage in the project is an extraordinary decision and makes no sense in terms of the government’s declared priorities.
We, the Association for Teachers of Mathematics and The Mathematical Association, write to the Secretary of State for Education as two of the subject associations that represent mathematics teachers to ask why continuation funding was not found for the Underground Mathematics project given its success and the emphasis placed on the development of Level 3 mathematics.
Read the letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, here.
Response of The Mathematical Association to the “Report of Professor Adrian Smith’s review of post-16 mathematics”, July 2017, and the letter from the Right Honourable, Nick Gibb, MP, Minister of State for School Standards responding to the report.
The Mathematical Association wholeheartedly welcomes Professor Smith’s review of post-16 mathematics and the recommendations therein.
With respect to implementation of the report’s recommendations we note your letter as Minister of State for School Standards, responding to Professor Smith’s report. We very much welcome the investment in post-16 support and hope that this targeted funding will have a similar degree of impact to the highly successful CMSP and FMSP projects. Read in full here.
This consultation seeks views on the future of primary assessment and the implications for accountability. Our response was submitted jointly on behalf of The Mathematical Association and the Association of Teachers of Mathematics on June 22nd, 2017. Read in full here.
The Mathematical Association recognises the tremendous effort that teachers and young people have invested in working towards the new year 6 SATs. For 70% of pupils to reach a mastery standard in this demanding new mathematics curriculum after only two years of a six-year programme is a remarkable achievement which deserves considerable recognition. As an association, we support the intentions of the new curriculum with its renewed emphasis on problem solving and reasoning and its aspiration for all, though we have cautioned that aiming too high too fast (for teachers or pupils) risks threatening confidence, enjoyment and progression. While we recognise the continuing challenge for both teachers and young people, we look forward to seeing year 6 pupils build on their achievements when they begin secondary school in September, and to continuing our work with the range of teachers of mathematics to ensure high quality, enjoyable school mathematics experiences for all.
The joint MA/ATM Primary Group recently sent a letter to Nicky Morgan MP regarding the imminent changes to early year's assessment. A response has been received. Read our letter to Mrs Morgan here. Read the response letter here.
Ofqual Report on SAMs
The Mathematical Association broadly welcomes the publication of the Ofqual report on the relative difficulty and demand of the reformed GCSE mathematics sample assessment materials (SAMs). We concur with the conclusions reached, and in particular that assessments of the new GCSE should fully reflect its aims of promoting mathematical fluency, reasoning and problem solving. We are also pleased to see that the analysis recognises the very real challenges of developing assessments which allow the range of students to access questions and so to fully demonstrate their mathematical competencies.
It is right that there should be further consideration of how curriculum intentions can be better reflected in the regulations for Mathematics GCSE; however, we urge Ofqual to proceed with urgency to accredit SAMs consistent in demand both with one another and with improved regulations. That will enable schools to develop their teaching and learning for the new Mathematics GCSE with confidence and to the benefit of their pupils.
June 2016: A joint letter from MMSA (MA, ATM, AMET, NAMA, NANAMIC) to Nicky Morgan re proposed Year 7 progress check. Read here.
February 2016: The MA and ATM's joint response to OFQUAL's consultation on the Final Entries to Legacy GCSEs, AS and A levels. Read it here.
January 2016: MA response to OFQUAL's AS and A Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics consultation. Read here.
January 2016: MA response to OFQUAL's Regulating Use of Calculators in New GCSEs, AS and A Levels consultation. Read here.
November 2015: The Mathematical Association’s response to Education Committee consultation on teacher supply. Read here.
November 2015: Additional Reformed GCSE and A level subject content consultation. Read here.
November 2015: Responding to the Developing New GCSEs, AS and A levels for Teaching in 2017 - part 2. Read here.
January 2015: Correspondence with Ofqual about the new GCSE specifications and specimen assessment materials:
Read the MA's position paper, November 2014 here.
Early Years Baseline Assessment
Read the joint MA ATM Primary Group's letter to Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education, concerning three urgent recommendations for implementation before further policy decisions are made, here.
Ofqual's consultation on Developing new GCSE, A level and AS qualifications, 2014
Read the MA's response, submitted in September 2014
DfE's consultation on the Reformed GCSE and A level subject content, 2014
Read the MA's response, submitted in September 2014
Ofqual's consultation on Completing GCSE, AS and A level Reform, 2014
Read the MA's response, submitted in July 2014
Consultation on Setting the Grade Standards of new GCSEs in England
From September 2015, 14 year-olds in England will start studying the new GCSEs. These will be graded 9 - 1 rather than A* - G as are the current GCSEs.
Here is The Mathematical Association's response to the 'Setting the Grade' consultation
DfE subject content consultation on new A levels
Read our letter to the Secretary of State for Education, December 2013
Ofqual consultation on Regulatory Requirements for new A Levels
Read our letter to the Chief Regulator of Ofqual, December 2013
The PISA report: Statement by The Mathematical Association December 2013
The findings of the PISA Report on attainment in mathematics... read what we say here
DfE 16-19 Accountability Consultation
Read the MA's response, submitted jointly in November 2013 with the ATM, IMA, NAMA and NANAMIC here
Publication of the new Key Stage 4 mathematics content
The Mathematical Association welcomes the improvements made to the draft Key Stage 4 mathematics subject content. It is pleasing to see that several issues raised during our discussions with the Department for Education have been acted upon. We welcome the fact that students will not now be required to memorise so many formulae and the judicious increase in demand means there should be sufficient material to motivate and challenge the most able without making the rest of the content inaccessible to the majority.
The Government has put mathematics at the heart of their education reforms. The Mathematical Association is cautiously supportive of the suggestion that schools should be encouraged to increase contact time for our subject but would not like this to result in the narrowing of the school curriculum so there are fewer opportunities for all to excel.
The MA and ATM Joint Primary Group sent a letter to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, Elizabeth Truss, on 21st November 2012. Read it here...
The MA and ATM Joint Primary Group has submitted its response to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study review. Read it here...
The MA and ATM Joint Primary Group sent a letter to the Minister of State for Education. Read it here...