Consensus is clear, but clarity matters. Everyone agrees that problem solving should sit at the heart of maths education. Despite this consensus, teachers still face a familiar issue: what makes a problem a problem in maths ? Strengthening problem solving shouldn’t be seen as a purely academic endeavour - it’s central to improving attainment, narrowing disadvantage gaps, and preparing young people for a world that demands flexible, critical thinkers. This isn’t an optional s

Last week I gave evidence to the House of Lords Numeracy for Life Committee on behalf of Maths Horizons. The Committee is examining how numeracy can be strengthened across the population. It is an important conversation – and one that often generates strong claims about the state of maths education in England. At the House of Lords One of the key points I wanted to make to the Committee is that the starting point for this discussion should be that England’s maths education sy

Maths Horizons has identified four areas of change that we believe will support the goal of a richer maths curriculum with problem solving at its heart.  Suggested changes   Curriculum  1  Rebalance content from upper primary to lower secondary, allowing more time for knowledge to be secure and flexible, including opportunities for problem solving and reasoning for all students  2  Greater specificity and coherence within the programme of study about the mathematical meaning

Maths Horizons has identified four areas of change that we believe will support the goal of a richer maths curriculum with problem solving at its heart.  Suggested changes   Curriculum  1  Rebalance content from upper primary to lower secondary, allowing more time for knowledge to be secure and flexible, including opportunities for problem solving and reasoning for all students  2  Greater specificity and coherence within the programme of study about the mathematical meaning

Overview Maths Horizons’ vision is for England to be one of the world's highest-performing countries in maths. We believe almost all pupils can achieve a standard pass in GCSE Maths, and that around a third of pupils should achieve at least a Grade 7 and progress to advanced mathematical study. Beyond examination outcomes, all young people should leave maths education better equipped to reason, problem solve and use maths confidently in a wide range of contexts. We believe th

Over the past decade, teachers have repeatedly told us that problem solving and reasoning feel harder to prioritise in primary mathematics than they once were. The curriculum still calls for them. Teachers still value them. Pupils still need them. So what changed? One of the biggest, and often overlooked, influences is the shift in the structure of the end-of-Key Stage 2 SATs. How the balance shifted Before 2016, the assessment landscape looked very different: Pre-2016 Mental

The hugely anticipated Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) feels like a turning point for secondary maths education. By placing proportional reasoning at the heart of KS3, it offers a real chance to tackle one of the biggest barriers to success.  Why proportional reasoning matters Let’s start by clarifying what we mean by proportional reasoning. It isn’t just a set of tricks for working out ratios or percentages; it’s about understanding multiplicative relationships to mak

From the puzzles in school textbooks to the unsolved questions that drive research, ‘problems’ lie at the heart of mathematics. But what exactly makes something a mathematical problem?  Should we retire the term “problem”?  The term has a long and varied history in mathematics education.  In different contexts, it can mean a routine exercise, an open-ended investigation or simply any mathematical task. Sometimes it refers to applying mathematics in real-world contexts; elsewh

Every pupil deserves to leave school able to think mathematically — to reason, make connections, and apply their understanding to a wide range of contexts and problems. Mathematics isn’t just a collection of skills and procedures. It is a coherent system of interrelated structures that explain how ideas connect and build over time. When pupils see those connections clearly, they don’t just remember more, they understand more.  Why structure matters now This matters now more t

The Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) marks an important moment for maths education. Reasoning and problem solving are placed firmly at the centre of learning for every student - not as add-ons or stretch tasks for the few, but as essential to what it means to do mathematics well. By giving every learner the chance to think, explore, and make sense of mathematics, the CAR signals a shift towards a curriculum that not only strengthens achievement, but also builds confiden

In the Maths Horizons Project so far, we have investigated the content, structure, and sequencing of the maths curriculum. Before...

The fourth investigation of the Maths Horizons Project has been focusing on the maths excellence pathway, during A-Levels.   Our findings...

As part of our recent investigations, we’ve been exploring Level 2 qualifications in maths. In particular, we’ve been exploring teachers’...

In our first investigation , we were exploring teachers’ views about children and young people’s attitudes and attainment in maths. We...

Today we are launching our fifth and final investigation before we publish our interim findings in the new year. In this investigation...

There is a sizeable gap between primary and secondary teachers’ perceptions of the curriculum, which we have found in three areas, using...

Today we are launching our fourth investigation. This will focus on how to better support students for the maths excellence pathway...

Is the maths national curriculum in England achieving its purpose and aims? Research by Maths Horizons suggests not.

Today we are launching our third detailed investigation as part of Maths Horizons.

Today we are launching our second of five investigations – this one focused on learning maths up to age 14.