Schools Standards Minister Nick Gibb and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Elizabeth Truss have announced the Advanced Maths Premium, a new fund to help schools and colleges increase the number of students studying maths after GCSE.
Schools will receive £600 for every additional pupil who takes an advanced maths qualification. The premium will also support institutions to increase the number of girls and those from disadvantaged backgrounds taking advanced maths qualifications, with the aim of helping to equip Britain with the skills needed to boost the future economy.
From September 2018, schools and colleges will receive an extra £600 premium for each additional pupil taking the one-year AS maths or the Core Maths qualification. This could mean £1,200 for each additional pupil who takes the two-year A level in maths or further maths. The £600 premium is equivalent to 15% of the base funding per student.Â
While maths continues to be the most popular subject at A level, with almost 25% of pupils choosing to study it, there are almost three quarters of students with an A*-C in GCSE maths at age 16 who decide not to continue studying the subject. Data shows that pupils who do well in maths at school earn higher wages, with men seeing a premium of 12.5% and women a 23.9% increase.
