£600 per pupil for every extra pupil studying maths in sixth form

[noblegiraffe]

Announced in the Budget today was £600 per pupil for every extra pupil who takes A-level maths or Core Maths in 6th form. This will be from 2019 and will use student numbers from this year as a baseline.

While this seems like a nice boost to maths, words cannot express how pissed off I am by the 'extra pupils' caveat. Schools, like mine, who are already offering Core Maths and have piled high maths classes due to lower than other schools' entry requirements will be penalised.

If we want any extra funding, what that will mean is even bigger class sizes than we already have (20+), accepting students who probably shouldn't be on the course, and more work for the classroom teacher (and I bet that the extra money will not be coming my way).

Actually takes the exam? Or is registered for the census?

I've totally missed this today - can you explain the reasoning behind it?

I have to be honest that my gut feeling is that it pisses me off - the massive push on STEM subjects to the detriment of Arts and Humanities really winds me up and I wonder is this yet another example of demeaning arts and humanities subjects

Totally agree... There is already a massive bias at my school with students thinking STEM subjects are much more important than Arts, Humanities and English (English Teacher.) This is going to make it a million times worse..

As a country we underproduce graduates in mathematical subjects. Quantitative skills are becoming more and more important across a wide range of jobs. We are an anomaly in that students don't automatically continue maths until 18. Personally I welcome any attempts to encourage more students to study maths - although I can certainly believe that the financial incentives offered are not "real".

Surely every school will bulk enter everyone for core maths?

I can see what will happen round here... you'll now be accepted for the course if you get a much lower grade.

Unless they're just going to do it on A level passes?

£600 for each extra student studying maths, not necessarily passing a qualification?

stem is where the jobs are likely to be. It makes absolute sense.

Maths at higher levels is much more creative. This may capture some great mathematicians who are put off at GCSE.

TES article here. www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/budget-more-money-schools-attract-extra-a-level-maths-students

It doesn't say whether it will be based on census figures or exam figures but how could they do it on exam figures without there being a 2 year lag in payment?

They'll have to dumb down Maths A Level or else there will be a massive amount of people failing. Ds reported that people who were taking Maths A Level with Bs at GCSE really struggled.

It says there the money is for schools , not for pupils! Ah, not such a great incentive for everyone to rush into Maths A Level, then.

Core Maths only requires a C/4 at GCSE.

There aren't enough maths teachers to bulk enter everyone who passes GCSE but doesn't take A-level!

Would they need to pass to get the money though or attend lessons?

There aren't enough Maths teachers for every child taking GCSE to have a Maths teacher.

The chancellor seemed very keen on computer based home learning for adults.

This has made me irrationally angry. I have a child who is g&t at maths. I want this child to go to a specialist maths and science comp. Because of the admissions arrangements in our area, they stand next to no chance of going there and will have to go to a school with a specialism they have less than average abilities in.
What's the fecking point of offering choice and incentives when policy takesvaway the choice.

Grockle are you thinking about comps with specialist school status? That was scrapped years ago.

No I don't think so. They both have signs saying these are their specialisms so school A has more focus on one area while school B requires at least 2 GCSEs are taken in another area. I did check at open evenings that these were current 'specialisms'.

Why are you cross grockle doesn't this mean that maths places are likely to be increased?

No. If the child isn't taught maths well at GCSE then A level will be harder. I have a child that wants to do maths. Enjoys maths.

And it will only incentivise schools with a sixth form.

I'm not following your logic at all but I've had a long day.

If schools are incentivised if they have more children doing maths A level then it would seem to me to follow that they will put more effort into ensuring they have lots of potential maths A level candidates which necessitates good GCSE teaching???

A school shouldn’t need a maths specialism (which is meaningless these days) for your child to be well taught maths at GCSE, and indeed as it is meaningless, it’s no guarantee!

Grockle- I don't think I see your point?
How is this going to have an impact on his admission for secondary?

Well, I presume this is why they quietly added the numbers of students sitting maths into the KS5 performance tables....

Not if they don't have sixth form. Nobody doing A levels. No reason to change.