We're excited to announce that the consultation for the Maths Horizons Project is officially underway. We're reaching out to a wide range of experts and practitioners across the education sector and beyond. We’re inviting input from children, young people, parents, and educators in early years, primary, and secondary schools, as well as from colleges, universities, and businesses.
Our goal is to gather a rich mix of knowledge, expertise, and critical perspectives. While we'll be delving into the big questions surrounding maths education, we're equally focused on how any potential changes can be practically implemented in schools and colleges.
And we want to think about the trade-offs involved in any change to the curriculum. For example, if we want to add in aspects of maths relating to the growing use of technology, should we also take some content out of the current curriculum to make room? What is it feasible to teach with the current teaching workforce?
To focus us on these questions we’re launching a series of investigations – two-week sprints of work where we will focus on a specific topic, alongside all the people who have expressed an interest in getting involved.
For each two-week investigation, we will:
Run questions through TeacherTapp, asking for views from serving teachers
Publish the results of those questions on our website, and invite further discussion – and potentially share some of our own follow-up thoughts too
Share the findings and our thoughts on social media, and seek wider insight from across the country
Host a roundtable, or live group discussion to delve into the issues in more depth – with participation from current practitioners in education, academia and industry, including members of our core executive group
Depending on the topic, we may also host events or discussions at conferences; publish longer pieces for reflection; invite views specifically on a very precise topic; or share case studies and thoughts from expert third parties. If you want to be involved in a specific roundtable, please do register on the site and indicate your interest to us.
The first major milestone will be in January 2025, when we intend to publish an interim report summarising our findings, and some of the trade-offs that might need to be addressed. We’ll lay out the roadmap for the next phase, in which we will refine our thinking on possible models and trade-offs for a changed curriculum and assessments through further consultation and research.
But first, we need your input.
We want to ensure these investigations focus on the most meaningful priorities in maths education. That’s why, before diving in, we're launching an initial call for ideas. We want to hear from you: what aspects of the current maths curriculum and assessment would you like to keep? And what would you change, add, or remove?
We believe that understanding what works well in the current system is just as important as identifying areas for improvement. Since the launch of the Maths Horizons Project, many have been encouraged that the Francis Review is committed to evolution, not revolution. We fully agree. With finite resources, it's vital we build on existing strengths and avoid overhauling what isn’t broken. But we also won’t shy away from exploring longer term, larger changes that could be worthwhile.
So, please share your thoughts! Tell us what you think is working, and what changes you’d like to see. Your feedback will help us ensure the Maths Horizons Project focuses on the right priorities, balancing both continuity and progress.
To help you consider your own reasons, it’s sometimes helpful to get a flavour of what others are saying. So, here are some of the ideas for change and continuity we’ve received so far (rest assured, we always check first before making your contributions public).
Keep problem solving and reasoning!
Problem solving and reasoning is what being a mathematician is all about! It is vital that students are able to develop these transferable skills and use them to connect different areas of maths. An emphasis on problem solving and reasoning challenges the misconceptions that maths is 'just a set of rules' or 'all about the final answer'. Most importantly, students enjoy problem solving and applying their knowledge to a variety of situations. This leads not only to higher levels of engagement but also deeper mathematical understanding and increased confidence. Charlotte Barker, Maths Curriculum Team Leader, Ralph Allen School
Review the volume and purpose of content required for KS4
It can be a real struggle to cover the volume of content required for both higher and foundation GCSE. This can lead to quick, surface level teaching where, actually, more time is needed to develop a deep understanding of concepts and make links between different branches of maths.
Previously, some topics have been added into GCSE Higher which are revisited at A Level. It would be much more beneficial for students to have more time to make connections and engage in problem solving. These are essential both in everyday life and at A Level Maths.
There are also highly relevant areas of Statistics missing for the GCSE curriculum such as standard deviation. Data analysis plays a key role in many jobs and is a valuable skill set to develop in our young people.
Charlotte Barker, Maths Curriculum Team Leader, Ralph Allen School
Introduce number sense screening at KS1
I'd like to see screener assessments used in Year 1 (age 5-6) to identify children who may struggle with maths. Effective screeners are research-based and assess teachable skills that predict future maths success, such as number sense and spatial reasoning. Their reliability depends on their use purely as a formative tool to identify at-risk pupils, rather than being used as a statutory accountability measure. They must be easy and quick to use, embedded into the curriculum, and include training and resources to help teachers adapt their instruction to address identified gaps. Early intervention will give more children the opportunity to succeed in maths.
Clare Christie, Maths Subject Leader, Ashley Down Schools Federation
Prioritise multiplicative reasoning at KS2
There is an urgent need to prioritise multiplicative reasoning over procedural methods in KS2 and beyond, alongside reducing excessive testing. Multiplicative reasoning underpins key areas like arithmetic, statistics, and measurement, yet current key stage 2 (age 7-11) teaching often lacks focus on this understanding. Many primary teachers need further professional development in this area due to gaps in their own education. The knowledge for this shift is well-established (e.g. Askew, 2018; Brown et al., 2010) and could be supported through the NCETM Hub network by shifting its focus from 'how to teach' to 'what to teach' in multiplicative reasoning.
Professor Anne Watson, Oxford University
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