Maths ... AIBU?

[eatsleepread]

I was chatting with a colleague the other day; we have daughters in secondary school, and both are struggling with Maths. I am currently looking for a tutor for my daughter.
I simply cannot understand the 'one size fits all' approach to the teaching of this subject, and believe that it requires an overhaul. Why - when she does perfectly well in her other subjects - would my daughter need to learn about the equation of a line, trigonometry, algebra? What good is going to come of this in her everyday future life?
Rather, why can't she be taught mathematics related life skills? Lessons that revolve around addition, subtraction, percentages, bank statements, interest ... and all other useful elements of the subject.
Leave the serious study of maths to those who are gifted or even interested in it. And let the others ditch it in favour of the practical basics, where they might actually achieve something.
Why are they all still being taught the same things? And why are so many young people particularly girls still failing at this subject?
AIBU?

Perhaps those who struggle with maths (boys and girls) get more support in school? And if needed, they could sit their maths GCSEs or the more complex parts of it later (algebra, trigonometry etc), say at 18.

Those struggling with some of the maths topics at GCSE are unlikely to consider it for A levels and further study anyway. But it will give them a chance to learn at their own pace rather than get written off as being bad at maths.

I certainly would have benefitted from this approach back in the early 90s. Not sure how much has changed since then. I wasn't bad at maths but just needed more practice to help cement the concepts in my head. Lucky for me I scraped a B and most importantly it didn't put me off from a career in research and statistics.

It's when I read posts like this, that I am grateful DD is at an all girls school. Nobody expects her to fail at maths and science "because she is a girl". Everyone expects her to succeed because "its important, you can do it and if you can't we'lll help you until you can".

They're all expected to do triple science unless they want to do other subjects (e.g. three languages) that make timetabling all three sciences impossible.

I admit that personally, I've never used trigonometry for any purpose other than passing my GCSE, but DP does and my DS does and DD plans a career that will almost certainly need some high level maths.. However, I found that I've needed statistics, understanding of fairly complex accounts and to be able to calculate the area of a circle. You never know what you'll need. Careers that may on the face of it need little maths may need more than you think.

I do agree basic financial life skills should be taught. We do them at home but also both DD and DS cover them in PHSE.

Wales does what a lot of you want which is two separate maths GCSEs, one more numerate and the other more algebraic. Some people only take one, and both are split into higher, intermediate and foundation.

Gove was strongly advised to do this but refused because it was a Labour idea (the previous government were piloting it).

So England is stuck with a single GCSE that counts as two GCSEs for the league tables.

Lessons that revolve around addition, subtraction, percentages, bank statements, interest

These skills are all relatively simple and most children will have mastered them by the end of primary school.

A wide wide range of jobs will have some application for maths in one form or another, whether that's checking your own invoices, accounts & tax returns as a self employed plumber, to analysing the hit rate of your marketing campaign, or calculating what rate you need to charge to be profitable after your costs as a hairdresser.

High level maths skills tend to open up a wider range of career choices and many of the better paying jobs will feature them. Why would you want to limit your daughter by opting out?

@eatsleepread I totally agree with @MaskingForIt ... parents attitude to maths totally influences young people’s. All the things you regards as important are taught plus more. Maths is important in so many ways, you should be encouraging your DD rather than trying to justify giving up