Whenever I tell people I used to be a maths teacher the most common response is: ‘I absolutely hated maths at school.’ It is an age-old tale, to loathe maths lessons (or indeed your maths teacher). So, what better way to make children loathe maths even more than to make it compulsory until the age of 18?
Rishi Sunak’s plan, announced at the start of the year, aims to address innumeracy and better prepare pupils for the workplace. There are many reasons why, on the surface, it seems a sensible approach – not least because the UK is one of the few countries in the world that does not require children to study maths in some form up to the age of 18.
It is unreasonable to prevent children from learning what they love
Some critics have argued that the plan shows a government which is out of touch, unaware of the recruitment crisis plaguing state schools.
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