Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI) has been awarded funding to investigate the feasibility of a new maths GCSE curriculum for post-16 re-sit students.

Over 170,000 young people re-sat GCSE maths last summer, with only 23.7% achieving at least a grade 4 or equivalent.   The success rate of the November 2018 re-sits was also down on the previous year.

The aim of the MEI project is to give fresh consideration to appropriate maths content and qualifications for GCSE re-sit students, in line with the recommendations of the Smith Review of post-16 maths.

MEI will work in consultation with key stakeholders to develop a new maths curriculum for post-16 GCSE resit students with a greater emphasis on applying mathematics in realistic contexts to manage practical problems encountered in the workplace and other aspects of life.

A small-scale study will then be conducted to assess the suitability of the curriculum as a basis for an alternative to the existing GCSE maths.  The project will report towards the end of 2019.

This announcement came as the Association of Colleges launched its five-point plan to support post-16 maths and English in colleges, calling for more resources, more flexibility to do what is best for students and some adjustments to the way progress in English and maths is measured.  “Delivering on the current English and maths policy continues to be a major challenge”, says the AoC.