Plans for a compulsory maths course are being pushed to combat the numeracy deficiency in the UK. As of next Autumn, schools and universities will be obliged to make sure that those who are taking humanity subjects, despite receiving a good maths GCSE, are continuing to study the subject at A-level.
The course dubbed 'Core Maths' is designed to make sure that students can apply theory at a practical level and will be aimed at those who achieved a C-grade or higher. The course has been tried out in 170 schools to gain feedback on its structure and content, which focuses on problem-solving and real-world application. 'Core maths' will be a stand-alone qualification with the status of a “level 3 certificate”, although it has been given a tariff equivalent to an AS level by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Universities will be obliged to consider this qualification along with the standard stipulated grades. Though the Department of Education, who is spending roughly £20 million on the programme between 2014-2016, insists that it is not an official requirement then, in reality it certainly will be.
David Woolley, the assistant head teacher at Cheadle Hulme High School in Cheshire, which is currently taking part in the trial, stated that it was actually more difficult to convince parents of its value than the students. Parents who were a little skeptical about the extra workload distracting from their children's principal studies "wanted to know what the points value was and what universities thought of it.”
