Emma Bell, MEI’s Director for FE and Adult Learning, outlines why getting Level 1 Mathematics right matters for 16-19-year-olds and highlights the key recommendations MEI made in its response to the Department for Education’s consultation on the proposed new qualification.
Every year, thousands of 16-19-year-olds begin post-16 education having not secured a grade 4 in GCSE Mathematics. Too many students who achieve grade 2 or below are entered straight into GCSE resit, only to experience another year of frustration rather than meaningful progress. The evidence suggests this approach isn’t delivering the outcomes that many learners need.
MEI welcomes the proposed Level 1 Mathematics qualification, which offers an important opportunity to do something different. It reflects what practitioners see every day: some students aren’t yet ready for GCSE. Instead, they need time to strengthen their mathematical foundations, rebuild their confidence and experience success before progressing further.
Getting the foundations right
For this new qualification to make a real difference, it cannot become a watered-down GCSE in disguise. If it feels like a compressed version of GCSE, students will disengage in the same way.
Instead, it should focus on the mathematics that matters most. Prioritising areas such as number, proportion, fluency and understanding will give students the depth of learning they need to progress with confidence, whether that’s towards GCSE, further study or employment
Recognising progress along the way
A modular or staged structure has real potential, particularly in helping students build and recognise progress throughout their learning journey.
However, the design needs care. Too many small assessments risk fragmenting learning and reducing valuable teaching time. A small number of coherent assessment components would provide opportunities for early success while bringing learning together through meaningful assessment.
Just as importantly, the qualification should recognise genuine progress. Too often, students make significant improvements but leave with little to show for it if they don’t reach a single threshold. Recognising progress would make achievement visible, sustain motivation and encourage learners to keep moving forward.
A qualification that works for every learner
It is also essential to recognise that students studying post-16 maths are not a single, uniform cohort.
Some students are close to progressing to GCSE Mathematics, while others need much longer to rebuild their foundations. A rigid one-year model won’t work for all. The qualification needs enough flexibility to support different starting points, with progression routes that feel continuous rather than another reset.
Content matters too. Students are far more likely to engage when they understand why maths is worth learning. That means connecting it to everyday contexts, such as personal finance, measurements and data, while keeping the underlying mathematics clear.
This isn’t about lowering expectations. It’s about teaching the right maths, at the right time, in ways that help students build confidence and apply their learning beyond the classroom.
Supporting teachers to deliver success
None of this will work without proper support for teachers.
Clear guidance, diagnostic tools, high-quality teaching resources and professional development need to be in place from the outset. Without that support, even a well-designed qualification risks becoming fragmented in practice.
An opportunity we shouldn’t miss
At its heart, the proposed Level 1 Mathematics qualification is an opportunity to reset the post-16 maths experience for students who have too often been asked to repeat the same journey without success.
Done well, it can give learners the time, structure and confidence they need to secure strong mathematical foundations, experience success and move forward into further study, employment and everyday life.
This is a real opportunity to design a new qualification that works for students, supports teachers and strengthens post-16 mathematics. Getting Level 1 Mathematics right has the potential to improve outcomes for thousands of young people for years to come.
