From words to action: making reasoning and problem solving real

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 confidence, enjoyment, and a lasting sense of the value of maths. 

At Maths Horizons, we’re proud that the evidence base we built through our research, insights and sector-wide collaboration helped shape much of the thinking that’s now visible in the CAR. Our work - particularly around focusing and re-sequencing the curriculum so that pupils can master topics deeply, low-stakes gateway checks and non-routine problem solving – is clearly reflected. 

We’re delighted to see these recommendations, and the government’s positive response. But now, the real work begins. 

Moving from principle to practice 

It’s one thing to agree that reasoning and problem solving matter; it’s another to make them thrive in real classrooms. Too often, what’s celebrated in policy doesn’t always survive the pressures of curriculum coverage, accountability, and assessment. 

If reasoning and problem solving are truly to be for all, we need to make them: 

• Visible in everyday teaching – through rich questions, open tasks, and space for mathematical dialogue. 

• Supported through professional development – giving teachers the confidence to plan, facilitate, and assess deep thinking. 

• Rewarded in high-stakes assessment – so that what we value is what we measure. 

That shift won’t happen through the publication of a review. It will happen through collaboration - between teachers, researchers, curriculum designers, exam boards, and policymakers - all pulling in the same direction. 

Collaboration in action 

Maths Horizons was founded to make that kind of collaboration real. We bring together sector experts to test what works, learn from what doesn’t, and share practical tools that make ambitious ideas doable. 

We’ve seen what’s possible when teachers, researchers, and policymakers work side by side. Big change doesn’t come from theory alone - it comes from classroom practice informed by evidence, and from systems that reward the learning we most value. 

The opportunity ahead 

The CAR gives us a shared mandate - a rare moment of alignment across the system. The challenge now is to use it well: for all key players to design programmes of study, assessments, classroom resources, and professional learning that make reasoning and problem solving a reality for every student. 

At Maths Horizons, we’re committed to supporting that next phase - bringing together those who want to turn ambition into action. We’re now working with sector experts to develop a national map of mathematical problems and associated resources to inform curriculum development, strengthen classroom practice, and shape future statutory assessments.  

This next phase will be deeply collaborative - drawing on the expertise and insight of teachers, researchers, curriculum designers, and policymakers. We’ll be sharing more soon about how colleagues across the sector can get involved. Watch this space. 

Because the real success won’t be measured in reports or recommendations. It will be when every young person leaves school not just knowing mathematics, but thinking mathematically.