Mathematics is a universal language that helps us to understand the world, and it is a core part of the curriculum. As well as teaching about numbers, shapes, statistics and patterns, it provides important tools for work in areas such as physics, architecture, medicine and business. It helps learners to develop logical and methodical thinking, to focus and to solve a wide range of mathematical problems. Success can be ‘coordinated’ when leaders ensure all the elements of pupils’ mathematics education are supporting each pupil’s progress in the subject. Success in mathematics leads to many opportunities for further study and employment. Mathematics is a core subject of the national curriculum. It is an important entitlement for all pupils in England’s schools: academies, free schools and maintained schools.

At GCSE, with the exception of results in 2020 and 2021, the proportion of pupils attaining a grade 4 or above has steadily increased over time. In 2019, 71.5% of pupils obtained a grade 4 or above, and 20.4% of pupils obtained a grade 7 or higher. These are increases of 9.1 and 3.3 percentage points since 2013 The results of national reference tests, introduced by Ofqual in 2017, also reflect a steady improvement in pupil performance between 2017 and 2020. Data from 2021 does not follow this trend, which is likely due to the impact of pandemic restrictions. However, national reference test results in 2022 suggest that attainment is improving again, although it has not yet reached the levels recorded in the 2020 test.

Mathematics is increasingly the most popular choice at A level. Within the top 15 subjects chosen by students, mathematics and further mathematics are the subjects that have the highest proportion of A* and A grades awarded. In addition, level 3 core mathematics is an increasingly popular post-16 course taken by pupils on top of 3 A levels, or equivalents.

Although pupils in England, on average, perform better in mathematics than pupils in many other countries, there is a large gap between the lowest and highest achievers, and between disadvantaged and advantaged pupils. Studies and media reports continue to show that there is a shortage of specialist mathematics teachers and that this is a longstanding issue found in other countries.^{[footnote 1]}

This report evaluates the common strengths and weaknesses of mathematics in the schools inspected and considers the challenges that mathematics education faces. The evidence was gathered by His Majesty’s Inspectors as part of routine inspections. The report follows our mathematics research review published in 2021, which sets out our idea of a high-quality mathematics education. The report is split into findings in primary schools and those in secondary schools, and includes evidence from Reception classes and sixth forms. Within each of these sections, we talk about:

• aspects of the curriculum

• pedagogy

• assessment

• the way schools are organised

• the impact of this on what pupils learn

It is important to note that we evaluate schools against the criteria in the school inspection handbooks. Findings from this report will not be used as a ‘tick list’ by inspectors when they are inspecting schools: we know that there are many different ways that schools can put together and teach a high-quality mathematics curriculum.

During the period of evidence-gathering, schools were facing many challenges because of COVID-19. As other studies have shown, pupils have been affected by remote learning, lockdowns and national restrictions. Therefore, some of the evidence gathered for this report may not represent ‘business as usual’. However, by focusing on the curriculum and its implementation over time, we hope that this risk has been reduced.

Full report. Published 13th of July 2023.