Teacher shortage hits maths standards

Only a few pupils receive "proper" maths teaching, the report says

A shortage of specialist teachers is contributing to poor teaching of mathematics in schools in England and Wales, a report says.

Research by London University's Institute of Education suggests the standard of teaching has led to too few young people taking the subject.

This in turn affects their job prospects, it points out.

Schools Minister Estelle Morris said part of the problem was the number of people who appeared almost to brag about not having a maths qualification.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is almost a cultural acceptability, if you don't like maths you almost brag about it.

"Let us as a whole society think 'How do we value maths?' and give that message to youngsters that it is important to be good at maths."

Vicious circle

The report, published on Tuesday, suggests that a belief that pupils only need basic arithmetic denies proper maths teaching to all but a few.

It claims that the biggest problem is a vicious circle of poor teaching leading to fewer people taking maths A-levels, thus creating an inadequate supply of mathematicians to become teachers.

Many pupils only learn basic maths

This in turn leads to people with limited maths teaching the subject badly, the report says.

Professor Alison Wolf, co-editor of the report, said: "We don't have enough maths teachers and we don't have a system that gives us a pool of people from which to draw good maths teachers.

"In terms of school leavers we're in a situation where the maths is inadequate for the workforce and inadequate for the future higher education.

"Overlaying that is the fact that it's not clear how we can do anything to make that situation better.

"In fact, if we don't do something soon it'll get worse.

"We have so few people coming through the school system who have any capacity to become maths teachers, that given that there are tiny numbers and that the alternative possibilities for them in the labour market are so enormous, we've got an absolutely chronically shrinking base of people from which to take our maths teachers of the future."

Vacancies unfilled

The report suggests that graduates who have studied maths earn more than those who have not - even if their jobs have nothing to do with the subject.

Prof Wolf said: "Properly taught, maths imparts skills which increase productivity in the workplace, such as logical thinking, problem solving and analysis.

Counting the cost: Maths skills boost earning power

"Current economic trends make these skills increasingly and urgently desirable, yet most teenagers are precluded from A-level maths from age 14.

"Modern economies depend on sophisticated maths, and every country except Britain is giving serious attention to increasing the breadth and depth of mathematical skills."

A separate report indicates that one in four teaching vacancies in maths have not been filled for the start of the new academic year.

The survey, by the Secondary Heads Association and the Times Educational Supplement, indicates that secondary schools in England and Wales could be starting the new term with more than 4,000 staff vacancies in a variety of subjects.

'Appalling crisis'

SHA general secretary John Dunford said "really big incentives" should be used to encourage people to become maths teachers.

"I've certainly heard people, Lord Mayors of big cities, saying 'I'm a Lord Mayor of a big city and I can't do maths.'

"It is respectable in a way that it isn't with other subjects. Nobody would go around saying 'I'm no good at English and look where I've got', for example.

"One of the problems is maths A-level is seen to be harder than other A-levels. We have got the new AS-levels and I am very hopeful many people will choose that."

The Shadow Education Secretary, Theresa May, said: "What does it take for Labour to wake up to the appalling crisis in teacher recruitment?

"This latest report on maths teachers shows how severe the problem has become.

"It is time the government stopped being so complacent and recognised that they are presiding over the worst teacher recruitment crisis in history."