A review of maths education in Scotland, conducted by the inspectorate and published today, has found that “many children” in upper primary and secondary find maths “repetitive, lacking in challenge and disconnected from real-life applications”.
It says there is “a significant drop in enthusiasm for mathematics” as children progress through school - with secondary particularly problematic.
The report finds that in S1-3, young people report maths is “too easy compared with other subjects” but in S4-6 it is “harder than their other subjects”.
Better progression needed
The review calls for schools to ensure better progression into the senior phase and to prepare students “fully for the demands of their courses in S5 and S6”.
The review - Enhancing the quality of mathematics education in Scotland - was instigated by education secretary Jenny Gilruth in the wake of Scotland’s disappointing performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).
It says teachers need “to employ more engaging, interactive teaching methods, using real-world examples and problem-solving tasks to reinvigorate children and young people’s interest and motivation”.
The review finds that more able pupils are “not consistently receiving enough challenge” and that those requiring additional support are “not always having their needs met”.
However, it also flags inconsistent access to high-quality, subject-specific professional learning that teachers have saying the opportunity for this “varies across schools and local authorities”.
The report also acknowledges the shortage of maths teachers that “many” schools are facing - leading to S1-2 students not always being taught by specialists - as well as “the reliance on temporary staff”, which is “impacting on the consistency of learning and teaching”.
Tes Scotland revealed in January that one in five teachers working in primary, secondary and special schools is on a temporary contract.
The report states: “The majority of secondary schools visited report ongoing difficulties securing and retaining specialist mathematics teachers. In these schools, it is often more challenging to establish and maintain positive relationships between teachers and young people.”
The review says that increasing numbers of pupils with additional support needs, meanwhile, are putting a “strain” on teachers who are finding it “increasingly difficult to ensure every child and young person receives the necessary support to progress their learning”.
The report is based on visits to 52 settings and schools in the early years, primary, secondary and special sectors during 2023-24, as well as wider inspection evidence.
‘Worrying themes and gaps’ in maths education
In a foreword to the report, interim chief inspector of education Janie McManus refers to “some worrying themes and gaps across mathematics education in Scotland”, with engagement falling away “considerably” as children progress through school, “especially at secondary stages”.
She calls for improved professional learning for teachers and for staffing issues to be addressed: “We cannot ignore the challenges all schools - but particularly secondary schools - are facing with staffing shortages, teacher retention and teacher expertise in mathematics.”
In December 2023, the results of the latest Pisa tests were published.
The Pisa scores - which assess 15-year-olds in maths, reading and science - showed a drop in Scotland’s scores across the board since 2018, with a particularly steep fall in maths.
Scotland’s maths score was down 18 points on 2018; according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 20 points is the equivalent of a year of learning.
In response, Ms Gilruth promised a “full-scale update to the maths curriculum”, which is now underway and being led by former secondary school leader Andy Brown.
She also said there would be a thematic review, first of maths and then literacy, carried out by Scotland’s schools inspectorate.
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