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The project aimed to establish the feasibility of a new mathematics GCSE curriculum for post-16 resit students.
In 2019, we were successfully granted funding from the Nuffield Foundation to create this project aimed to establish the feasibility of a new mathematics GCSE curriculum for post-16 resit students. It was proposed that this new curriculum would focus on practical applications of mathematics and be suitable for students who were not aiming for further study which required abstract mathematics.
Background
In England, educational policy requires full-time students aged 16–18 who have not achieved grade 4 or higher in GCSE Mathematics to continue studying maths. this means that all students who achieved a grade 3 at age 16 are required to resit their GCSE Mathematics qualification. This policy was introduced following a report by Professor Alison Wolf, which found that ‘English and Maths GCSE (at grades A*–C) are fundamental to young people’s employment and education prospects’. Although it is important that all young people have a suitable level of mathematical understanding post-16, unfortunately, the GCSE Mathematics resit success rate is still very low, questioning its suitability to those students.
Funding
In 2019, we were successful in gaining funding from the Nuffield Foundation to develop a new mathematics GCSE curriculum for post-16 resit students as a catalyst to establish the principle of an alternative mathematics GCSE for post-16 students.
Activities
MEI developed curriculum content and wrote exemplary examination papers informed by national and international evidence reviews. A small-scale feasibility study was conducted with key stakeholders to establish whether the proposed curriculum and assessment would be fit for purpose and practicable. The project report, draft curriculum, examination papers, and example teaching resources have been made available online.
Impact
The outcomes and findings from the project have been outlined to teachers and other stakeholders at face-to-face meetings and online conferences. There has been interest in the possibility of the new curriculum becoming part of national provision. The project is continuing to act as a catalyst, but change is a long-term process that is dependent on political priorities and wider government policy.
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