Maths Education for the 21st Century
Maths Horizons Project
Maths Horizons’ vision is to raise standards in maths at every level, from ensuring that students leave education with secure fundamental knowledge, to an ambitious increase in advanced mathematical study. Our first report, How England should reform maths education for the age of AI, offers a blueprint to reform maths curriculum and assessment, which would support the aspiration for England to become one the top-performing countries in the world for maths.
Maths education in England has been broadly improving throughout the 21st Century, from the standards agenda in the 2000s to mastery teaching in the 2010s. As a result of the hard work of maths teachers across the country, we now have our highest ever PISA ranking and record numbers of students taking A-Level Maths. There is lots to be positive about.
However, we also face continuing challenges. We want to ensure that all children get at least a standard pass in GCSE Maths on their first try, that more students from all backgrounds progress to higher maths, and that the supply of maths skills meets employer demand.
The review of curriculum and assessment in England, led by Professor Becky Francis CBE, represented a great opportunity to redouble our efforts to build a world-leading maths education system, building on the broad improvements of the past 25 years and addressing the challenges of today.
With this in mind, we launched an independent rapid review of maths curriculum and assessment in England. Our rationale for establishing the project was to provide a deep analysis of maths and related disciplines, which could contribute to wider discussions around maths curriculum and assessment reform. We consulted widely, including primary and secondary schools, colleges, universities and businesses, and commissioned new research, including polling of teachers and school leaders.
As well as considering high-level principles for maths education, we took care to focus on practical implementation, and the impact on schools and colleges of further changes. Our interim and full reports were published in January and June 2025 respectively.
Our next phase of work focuses on reasoning and problem solving, which are not consistently embedded in classroom practice. This limits the development of students’ deeper mathematical understanding - particularly their ability to reason, generalise, and apply knowledge in both abstract and real-world contexts.
To address this, Maths Horizons is working with sector experts to develop a national map of mathematical problems and associated resources, that will inform and support curriculum development, classroom practice, and the design of statutory assessments.
By continuing to work closely with educators, leaders, and stakeholders across the sector, we aim to ensure that evidence and expert insight inform strategies that help every student succeed in maths.