Increasing post-16 mathematics participation in England: the early implementation and impact of Core Maths

Core Maths, a relatively new and distinct post-16 qualification, has been developed to address a key UK government policy imperative – that of increasing post-compulsory mathematics participation in England from its low comparative position internationally. In the light of recent policy developments to increase uptake in post-compulsory maths, we discuss emerging findings from a large-scale three-year mixed-methods project on Core Maths, funded by The Nuffield Foundation. In particular, we use national data to investigate the wide range of other qualifications that Core Maths students are taking, but find little emergent evidence of any early impact on attainment in these courses. We also present interview data from teachers and senior leaders demonstrating how Core Maths is being implemented in a wide variety of ways in schools and colleges.