Tag: Department for Education

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 14 June 2012.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has today (14 June) announced that the government will provide further funding to accelerate the expansion of Teach First – the successful charity which recruits top graduates to work in the most challenging schools.

Tens of thousands of children across England will benefit from a £32.4 million government investment in the programme next year – an increase of more than £3 million. The majority of this funding goes to Teach First’s 14 university training partners.

The funding will help the charity train 1,250 top graduates, from 70 different universities, next year before they go on to join schools in the most challenging circumstances – double the number who took part in the charity’s Leadership Development Programme in 2010.

The Government has also announced its support of Teach First’s goal to train 1,500 participants in 2014 to 2015 – triple the number who took part in the Leadership Development Programme in 2010.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said:

The countries which give their children the best education in the world are those which value their teachers most highly and where the profession attracts the brightest graduates.

Our priority is to deliver robust standards and high quality teaching to all pupils, whatever their background. To do this we must attract highly talented people into education because the quality of teachers has a greater influence on children’s achievement than any other aspect of their education.

By expanding Teach First, the government is delivering on this commitment.

Teach First works in primary and secondary schools where more than half of pupils come from the poorest 30 per cent of families in the UK.

This expansion will mean that Teach First would be able to reach 90% of eligible schools by 2016, boosting the government’s commitment to recruit more top teachers across England.

It will also make Teach First the largest graduate recruiter in the country. It recruits exceptional graduates – those having at least a 2.1 degree – who go through a thorough assessment process and intensive 2-year training programme.

The announcement comes as part of the coalition government’s drive to raise standards in our schools, by making it a highly attractive career for top graduates.

Welcoming the additional Government support, Brett Wigdortz, CEO and Founder of Teach First, said:

I’m delighted that in our 10th anniversary year the coalition government has confirmed this significant contribution to support the growth of Teach First.

We have always been extremely grateful for the cross party support Teach First has received from governments over the past decade, as well as the support of our other partners, including schools, universities and businesses, who collectively ensure that we can achieve our goals.

This decision will help us to get one step closer to our ambitious aim to ensure that no child’s educational success is limited by their socio-economic background.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 June 2012.

Plans to restore rigour in the key primary subjects are today set out by Education Secretary Michael Gove.

The draft primary national curriculum programmes of study for English, maths and science are more demanding than the existing national curriculum. They align England with those countries that have the highest-performing school systems.

By raising standards in basics such as reading, grammar, fractions and basic scientific concepts, children will be equipped to do more advanced work once they start secondary school.

The draft programmes of study published today will be subject to an informal consultation so they can be widely discussed. Some will think aspects are too demanding, others that they are not demanding enough, and there will be debate about what is appropriate at different ages. The Department for Education will consider the public debate and re-draft the programmes before re-publishing them later in the year for formal consultation. The final programmes will be introduced in primary schools from September 2014.

The drafts include the following:

Higher standards in maths

• Pupils will be expected to be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions in primary school so they can progress to more advanced topics like algebra when they go to secondary school. These four operations are not in the current primary curriculum. The proposed change is consistent with expectations in the high-performing education jurisdictions of Singapore and Hong Kong.
• By age 9, pupils should know their times tables up to 12×12. This is in line with expectations in the high-performing jurisdiction of Massachusetts. Currently pupils only need to know up to 10×10 by the end of primary school.
• By age seven, pupils should know “number bonds” up to 20. These are simple addition and subtraction facts that pupils should be able to recognise and use instantly (e.g. 9+9=18 or 16-7=9).

Higher standards in English

• Pupils will be taught to read fluently through systematic phonics. There will be a much stronger emphasis on reading for pleasure.
• There will be a focus on spelling – for instance, there will be a list of words that all children should be able to spell by the end of primary school. There is currently no such list in the national curriculum.
• There will be a focus on grammar – for instance, children will be expected to understand how to use the subjunctive and correct use of the apostrophe – for example, not using it to indicate plurals such as “I went to buy some apple’s” or using “it’s” as a possessive.
• There will be an expectation that pupils master formal English through poetry recitation, debate and presentation.

Higher standards in science:

• There will be a greater focus on the acquisition of scientific knowledge with new content on the solar system, speed and evolution.
• There will be an increased focus on practical scientific experiments and demonstrations, similar to the approach taken in Alberta and Massachusetts.

Additionally, there will be a consultation later this summer on our plan to introduce foreign languages from age seven at the start of key stage 2.

There will be no other changes to the structure of the primary curriculum. The government will maintain the requirement for the teaching of art and design, design and technology, geography, history, ICT, music, and physical education across all the primary years.

Programmes of study for these subjects will follow later this year. They will be much shorter than the drafts for English, maths and science being published today. This will give teachers much more freedom in these areas.

Education Secretary Michael Gove also announced today that the current system of levels and level descriptors – which is confusing for parents and bureaucratic for teachers – will be removed and not replaced.

The publication of the draft Programmes of Study for English, Maths and Science follow a report by an expert panel, chaired by Tim Oates, which made recommendations on the framework for a new national curriculum, and a parallel report by the Department for Education which identified the key features of curricula for maths, science and English in high-performing jurisdictions.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 June 2012.

The Richard Review of Apprenticeships will look at how to build upon the record success of recent years by:

• Ensuring that apprenticeships meet the needs of the changing economy
• Ensuring every apprenticeship delivers high quality training and the qualifications and skills that employers need
• Maximising the impact of Government investment.

Looking to the future, the review will examine how apprenticeships can continue to best meet the needs of employers, individuals, and the wider economy; which learners and employers can and should benefit most from apprenticeships; and what the core components of a high quality apprenticeship should be.

Mr Richard was selected by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education for his strong reputation in the spheres of both business and business education, enabling him to provide an independent analysis of the future priorities of the Government’s scheme.

A senior figure in the UK and global business communities, with over 20 years’ experience in the development and leadership of start-ups and established businesses, Mr. Richard will bring unrivalled commercial insight to the study.

His commercial expertise is matched by hands-on experience in the teaching of business skills. Through his social enterprise, School for Startups, Mr. Richard has delivered practical and theoretical instruction to more than 10,000 business owners and in 2009 he received the Enterprise Educator of the Year award for the excellence of his teaching.

Today’s announcement marks the continuation of Mr. Richard’s involvement in enterprise policy. He previously published the Richard Report in 2008, his investigation into the British government’s support of small businesses. Earlier this year he partnered with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to stage his ‘Web Fuelled Business’ initiative – a nationwide series of bootcamps helping small businesses exploit and leverage the internet.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“To build a prosperous economy we need a skilled workforce. The apprenticeship programme has been a real success, not only boosting chances for young people, but also helping businesses to address their skills gaps.

“However in the past vocational youngsters have been let down by weak courses and our competitors have stolen a march. I have just come back from a fact finding mission to Germany where two-thirds of young people take some form of apprenticeship by the time they are 25.

“To keep pace it is vital that we build on our initial success and continue to look at how apprenticeships can adapt to meet our future needs in the fast-evolving global economy.

“The Richard Review will do just that, establishing the core principles that will keep apprenticeships relevant to the future needs of individuals, employers and the wider economy. Doug Richard’s experience as a business mentor and setting up his School for Startups make him the perfect candidate to complete this task.”

Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove said:

“Doug Richard is a proper entrepreneur not a corporate bureaucrat. That’s why he’s the right man to get apprenticeships right. It’s great that the numbers taking up apprenticeships has grown. But there are still serious issues – there is still too much bureaucracy getting in the way of small firms taking people on, too much money appears to be going to middle men and the quality of some vocational qualifications taken by apprentices is still not good enough. Doug will help us get that right.”

Mr Richard said:

“I am delighted to have been given this commission to lead the review into the future of apprenticeships. In today’s challenging climate, apprenticeships will and must play a vital role in equipping our young people with the skills they need to succeed.

“As an entrepreneur, but also as an educator, I am convinced of the importance of business education in helping not only individuals but society at large. For our economy to recover and flourish, we need a workforce that possesses the requisite skills of twenty-first century commerce and industry. A strong apprenticeship programme is essential in delivering that.”

Skills Minister John Hayes said:

“The government has built the biggest and best apprenticeships programme of modern times. Last year there were over 457,000 apprenticeship starts and we have set out rigorous new standards to guarantee all apprenticeships are of the highest quality. Apprenticeships have never before been given the status or significance that I, as the Minister responsible, has afforded them.

“However, if we are to ensure that apprenticeships continue to meet the skills needs of our constantly evolving economy then we must take every opportunity to re-examine the why, what and how of apprenticeships, to ensure they are equipping learners and employers for the future.

“I’m delighted that Doug Richard will be leading this review. His personal commitment and track record in training, developing and inspiring people speaks for itself, and as an entrepreneur and educator who has helped thousands of fledgling businesses get off the ground, his insight and expertise will be invaluable.”

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 7 October 2022.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 31 May 2012.

New research, released from the Teaching Agency (TA) today, reveals that perceptions of teaching are changing for the better. 81% of final year students view the occupation as one which has real status and kudos and 72% of students felt that their friends and family would react positively if they decided to enter the profession, up six per cent from 2010.

According to the UK Graduate Careers Survey, conducted by High Fliers Research, schools and universities have moved up to become the second most popular type of employer, with nine per cent of graduates saying they wanted to work in this area, beaten only by advertising, PR or marketing at 11%. An additional piece of research showed that well over half of final year students (58%) have considered applying for teaching, up five per cent on 2010, with students increasingly recognising it as a career for people with drive (67%) and a great option for the long term (72%).

Despite increased recognition of the rewarding career teaching provides, misconceptions still persist when it comes to the earning potential of teachers. In fact, one in three students are being deterred from a career in teaching because of inaccurate salary perceptions, with four in five (82%) of final year university students underestimating the figure, by as much as £4000.

Whilst over a quarter of students thought the starting salary for a teacher in the capital was £23,000, the reality is that these teachers can now expect to earn £27,000 in Inner London. Similarly, most students (61%) thought teachers outside London earned £19,000 or less, while in reality salaries are more likely to be £21,588. The average starting salary for a UK teacher is £23, 010 (1), a figure that now compares favourably with other graduate jobs which range from £17,720 to £23,335 (2).

The research also revealed that the majority of students, 64%, do not realise the long term earning potential of teachers. Teachers are seeing their salaries rise by an average of around 30% after their first four years in the job. Experienced primary and secondary teachers, achieving the appropriate standards, can earn up to £64,000 (in London) and up to £56,000 (in other parts of the UK). Students may also be surprised to learn that the average salary for headteachers is £62,600, rising to £84,600 for secondary headteachers (3) and 700 heads are earning at least £100,000 this year following a rise in average salaries for senior staff members (4).

The TA is calling upon graduates to take a fresh look and reflect upon the modern day realities within this valued profession.

In addition to competitive salaries, the coalition government has introduced a number of financial incentives in the last 12 months such as tax free bursaries of up to £20,000 to attract the recruitment of top graduates to train to teach in maths, physics, chemistry or modern foreign languages.

Lin Hinnigan, chief executive of the Teaching Agency commented:

While it’s heartening to see the positive attributes of teaching being recognised by top graduates, it appears that some graduates are basing important career decisions on inaccurate perceptions. Teaching is increasingly a career for the most able graduates as demonstrated by its pay, benefits and prospects that compare favourably to other graduate professions. I’d urge anyone considering a career in teaching to investigate just how well the profession compares to alternative careers.

Neil Dhanda, who earns £45,000 as Curriculum Team Leader for Modern Foreign Languages at Saint Cecilia’s school, Wandsworth, Church of England School said:

Pay in teaching definitely compares favourably with the private sector. If you are ambitious and take up additional responsibilities, then you can expect increased financial rewards.

Having become head of department within four years, I have first-hand experience of the progression opportunities available within the profession and as such, it’s fair to say that aspirations for moving up the career ladder are wholly realistic and achievable.

I love my job and I think that teaching is a career which I’ll stay in for the rest of my working days; it’s varied, challenging, demanding and rewarding, I think that’s more than many would say about their chosen careers.

To find out more about a career in teaching, please visit get into teaching.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 30 May 2012.

Ofsted today announces the results of its consultation on changes to the way it inspects schools, further education and skills, and initial teacher education. The changes, which come into effect from 1 September 2012, are intended to support headteachers and principals in their work to provide the best possible education for pupils and learners.

Ofsted’s consultation was launched by Sir Michael Wilshaw, HMCI, in February 2012. The 12-week consultation received over 5,000 responses and the views received have directly shaped the announcements made today.

Announcing the results of the consultation, Sir Michael Wilshaw, HMCI said:

All schools and colleges can, and should, provide at least a good level of education. Parents and employers, children and learners, expect nothing less. That is why we are introducing these changes to the way we inspect. Inspectors will be clear about what needs to improve, and will return sooner to those that are not yet good to check their progress.

We want to work with good headteachers and principals as they strive to provide the best education possible for pupils and learners. These new arrangements have benefited from extensive consultation and I am grateful to all those who took the time to respond.

Sir Michael stressed that inspectors’ evaluation of the progress made by pupils and learners will be central to their judgment on whether a school is providing a good education. This means if pupils are making good progress, a school can be found good or better even where attainment is below average.

Sir Michael confirmed that Ofsted will no longer describe schools, further education and skills providers and teacher training providers as ‘satisfactory’ where they are not providing a good level of education. From September 2012, the ‘satisfactory’ grade will be replaced with ‘requires improvement’ and inspection reports will be clear about what needs to improve.

Ofsted will re-inspect those found to ‘require improvement’ sooner than under current inspection arrangements. Schools will have a full re-inspection within two years. Further education and skills providers found to ‘require improvement’ will be re-inspected within 12 to 18 months. Initial teacher education providers will be re-inspected normally within a year of their last inspection.

Recent independent studies have shown that an inadequate judgment from Ofsted acts as a catalyst for improvement for schools. From September, Ofsted will work with schools found to ‘require improvement’ in much the same way as it does with schools found to be inadequate: checking action plans, monitoring progress and re-inspecting within a shorter period of time. Extending this way of working to more schools is intended to help tackle the number of coasting schools that have remained stubbornly ‘satisfactory’ over many years.

Sir Michael confirmed that if a school has been judged to require improvement at two consecutive inspections, and is still not providing a good education at the third, Ofsted is likely to find the school to be inadequate at that inspection. This means it will be placed in ‘special measures’ unless there are exceptional circumstances. Ofsted will therefore expect schools to improve to ‘good’ within four years.

Inspectors will continue to focus on the quality of teaching but Ofsted will be clear that it does not expect to see a particular teaching methodology. From September, only schools and further education providers with outstanding teaching will be awarded Ofsted’s ‘outstanding’ grade. It does not mean that every lesson seen during an inspection needs to be outstanding. It does, however, mean that over time teaching is enabling almost all pupils to make rapid and sustained progress.

Sir Michael confirmed that inspectors will evaluate the robustness of performance management arrangements and consider whether there is a correlation between the quality of teaching and salary progression.

Ofsted also announced further reductions to the notice of inspections. Currently further education and skills providers can receive up to three weeks’ notice of an inspection, and initial teacher education providers up to eight weeks. From September, the notice period for both further education and skills and initial teacher education providers will be reduced to two working days.

Under the new arrangements, schools will receive almost no notice of an inspection with inspectors calling headteachers the afternoon before an inspection takes place. Ofsted proposed conducting school inspections without any notice but listened to headteachers’ concerns about this during the consultation. Calling the working day before an inspection will enable headteachers to make any necessary logistical arrangements including notifying parents and governors of the inspection. Parents can be reassured that inspectors are seeing schools as they really are.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 29 May 2012.

Fifteen brand new University Technical Colleges (UTCs) have today been approved to open in 2013 and 2014. They will have involvement from around 200 high-profile employers – including household names like Jaguar Land Rover, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. They will also have significant input from world-class universities, such as Cambridge and Warwick.

They range from a UTC specialising in aviation engineering, located close to London Heathrow Airport, to one in Warwick that will focus on delivering a business-like education – with input from over 30 employers – in engineering with digital technology. One project will also be based at the new MediaCityUK in Salford – home to much of the BBC and other media outlets.

UTCs will create opportunities for more than 20,000 young people to train as the engineers and scientists of the future – playing a crucial role in the UK’s long-term economic growth. They will offer hands-on technical learning alongside academic GCSEs and A levels.

The projects approved today join 17 UTCs that are already working to open this September or next. The number of UTCs in the pipeline now exceeds the Government’s ambition to create 24 by 2014.

Schools Minister Lord Hill said:

I am very pleased to be announcing another wave of strong UTC proposals. Right around the country there is a lot of enthusiasm from employers, universities, pupils and parents for high quality rigorous technical education. They provide more choice for children as well as helping provide the kind of highly skilled technicians our economy needs. The response from employers to UTCs speaks for itself.

UTCs are Academies for 14-19-year-olds. Pupils choose to go to them at ages 14 or 16. They focus on providing technical education that meets the needs of modern business. Each has one or two specialisms – ranging from engineering, to manufacturing, to construction or bio-medical sciences. Students spend around 60 per cent of their time on core academic subjects, and the rest of their time learning specific technical skills and qualifications.

All UTCs are sponsored by a local university and employers. The involvement of universities and employers means that students benefit from work placements, guest speakers, and a curriculum designed by experts in the field. Many also run longer term times and operate business hours to help prepare students for the world of work.

The combination of a strong technical and academic education ensures that students are ready for work or further study at college or university.

The projects approved today include:

• Warwick UTC has involvement from the University of Warwick and Jaguar Land Rover, amongst other local stakeholders. It will offer a business-like education to 640 pupils – working to business hours – and will specialise in engineering with digital technology.
• Heathrow Aviation Engineering UTC will specialise in aviation engineering. Its sponsors include Brunel University, BAA, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and RAF Northolt. It will offer 600 students the opportunity to acquire the skills for an industry which contributes around £17billion to the UK economy in economic output.
• UTC Cambridge is sponsored by Cambridge Regional College, Cambridge University Health Partners and a range of employers which are leaders in biomedical and environmental science and technologies. The UTC will specialise in these areas. It will cater for 670 students.
• The MediaCityUK UTC will be based in the heart of the country’s first media city on Salford Quays. It will cater for 720 pupils, who will specialise in skills linked to the creative and digital industries. It will help ensure that employers at MediaCityUK and their supply chains have access to the enterprising, skilled talent pool they need to flourish. It is also important for the local area, as some neighbourhoods immediately surrounding MediaCityUK are within the top one per cent most deprived in England.
• Elstree UTC will be based in Hertfordshire and will offer a technical education to 600 students. It will offer two specialisms: entertainment technologies and crafts, and electronic engineering and digital technologies. Elstree students will also have a longer school day than students at a traditional secondary school. Its proposed location in Elstree means it will benefit from the knowledge and expertise of high-profile entertainment and creative industries in Hertfordshire and London.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 24 May 2012.

Parents and communities should be able to have a greater say in running their local children’s centre, Children’s Minister Sarah Teather said today (24 May 2012).

The government is seeking views on how to encourage groups of parents, families and community members to get involved in the planning and delivery of early education services.

Evidence shows that empowering parents through involving them in the planning and delivery of Sure Start services can lead to better outcomes for families.

The government also invited expressions of interest from groups of parents who are interested in setting up their own community body so that they can bid to run their local children’s centre. The department announced it will procure an organisation to provide advice and guidance to help a number of groups to develop and test their proposals. Local authorities will still have the final say on whether bids are successful.

Speaking at the Daycare Trust’s London Childcare Providers’ Forum, Sarah Teather said:

It is important that children’s centres are at the heart of community life and we are committed to maintaining a strong and effective national network of centres across the country.

I want to make sure they are delivering the best service possible to their local community. That’s why we want to hear views and new ideas on how parents and communities can help run children’s centres. I believe this will give local people more control and influence over the services they use.

Many children’s centres already involve parents and their local community and now we want to build on this to find ways of enabling them to have a stronger voice in how they are run and what they can offer.

The discussion paper on parental involvement was published today ahead of a new right coming into force later this year called the ‘Community right to challenge’.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 24 May 2012.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has today made a statement in relation to school funding and the Priority School Building Programme.

In tackling the challenges we face on school building I have been determined to use the capital funding at my disposal to best effect, seeking value for money and efficiency from every pound spent. Sebastian James’ review of capital recommended a complete overhaul of the system for allocating capital investment so that we can focus on the repair and refurbishment of schools in the greatest need alongside meeting the pressure for new, good school places.

Over the past two years we have allocated £2.7 billion to local authorities to support the provision of new school places and £2.8 billion for the maintenance of the school estate to meet the needs of maintained schools and academies. Over the spending review period, total capital investment will be over £17 billion.

In addition, last year I invited bids to a new programme from schools in need of urgent repair. 587 schools applied for the programme on the basis of their condition need. Today I can confirm that 261 schools will be rebuilt, or have their condition needs met through the Priority School Building programme (PSBP) and a copy of the list has been placed in the House Libraries. Officials have today written to all schools who applied for the programme to confirm whether their application has been successful. Work will begin immediately and the first schools will be open in 2014.

I recognise that many of the schools that applied to the PSBP and have been unsuccessful will also have significant condition needs. Some of those will have their needs addressed through the other funding we have made available for maintenance. Where that is not the case, I will use the information from the national programme of surveys we are currently conducting to ensure that, subject to funds available in the next spending review period, those schools which need renovation will have their needs addressed as quickly as possible. By next autumn we will have details about the condition of every school in the country. Information on the condition of all schools was last collated centrally in 2005.

I know that many schools will be disappointed not to be included in the programme. We have had to take difficult decisions in order to target spending on those schools that are in the worst condition. In order to ensure that the process was robust and fair, a qualified surveyor has visited every school for which an eligible application was received to verify the condition of the buildings. This was necessary to make sure the schools being taken forward are those with the greatest overall condition need.

The condition need of some schools is so severe that urgent action is necessary. I have decided to make a limited amount of capital grant available to address the needs of the highest priority schools in the programme. 42 schools – those in the very worst condition and all special schools included within the programme – will be taken forward straight away using capital grant. It is right that the condition needs of special schools – where some of our most vulnerable children are educated – are met as quickly as possible.

This limited capital funding has become available by taking a more disciplined approach to managing my department’s capital budgets. Savings have been made by driving down the cost of new schools, shortening procurement times and challenging contractors to look for savings in all areas. These savings mean that more schools will benefit from the programme.

The PSBP will build on the progress we have already made in delivering a more efficient, faster, less bureaucratic approach to building schools. We are determined to reduce the wasteful processes of the past. That is why we have developed new baseline designs which will speed up the process and increase efficiencies and we are reducing the regulations and guidance governing school premises. This will encourage lower-cost build processes to be designed-in from the start.

I have previously expressed my strong support for the government’s agenda on reforming the PFI model and we are working closely with the Treasury to ensure the PSBP is aligned with this model in providing cost effective and more transparent delivery of services. Schools will have greater flexibility with soft facilities management services, such as cleaning, catering, security and some grounds maintenance being managed and controlled by schools themselves.

In addition to targeting spending on those schools which are in the worst condition, my priority in spending capital has been increasing the number of new school places in order to correct previous failures to meet that need. Since announcing the PSBP last July, the government has allocated £1.1 billion in additional funding to address the need for new school places.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 22 May 2012.

The report highlights a dramatic increase in the take-up of A level and further mathematics, and shows that the youngest children are doing better. GCSE and A-level results continue to rise as a result of the sustained efforts of teachers and students.

But the report finds 3 key areas in primary and secondary mathematics in schools in England, which need to be improved:

• firstly, not enough is being done to help pupils catch up who fall behind early; the 10% who do not reach the expected standard at age 7 doubles to 20% by age 11, and nearly doubles again by age 16
• secondly, inspection evidence shows that pupils in lower ability sets and younger pupils received the weakest teaching; inspectors regularly saw outstanding and satisfactory teaching, and sometimes inadequate too, within an individual school
• thirdly, lots of the brightest pupils do not fulfil their potential when they get to secondary school; 37,000 of the highest attaining primary school pupils got no better than a grade C at GCSE in mathematics last year; schools which routinely enter students early for GCSE mathematics are hindering their ability to reach the highest grades

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw said:

I want all children to have the best education they can and mathematics is a fundamental part of that. It is essential for everyday life and understanding of our world. Too many pupils do not fulfil their potential, including many of the most able, and those who get off to a poor mathematical start or fall behind in their learning never catch up.

We know it can be done. Over half of the schools visited in the survey were judged to be good or outstanding in mathematics, although even in these schools some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching need to be tackled.

We must all play our part to ensure that all pupils receive the best possible mathematics education. Ofsted will support schools to learn from the best, those with the best teaching and assessment and a well organised, mathematically rich, engaging curriculum.

Ofsted will produce support materials to help schools identify and remedy weaknesses in mathematics. It will raise ambition for the mathematics education of all pupils by placing greater emphasis in school inspection on:

• how effectively schools tackle inconsistency in the quality of mathematics teaching
• how well teaching fosters understanding
• pupils’ skills in solving problems
• challenging extensive use of early and repeated entry to GCSE examinations

The report recommends that the Department for Education should raise national mathematical ambition and take action to improve pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding. They should raise ambition for more-able pupils, in particular expecting those pupils who attained Level 5 at Key Stage 2 to gain A* or A grades at GCSE.

They should ensure end-of-key-stage assessments and GCSE and AS/A-level examinations require pupils to solve both familiar and unfamiliar problems and demonstrate fluency and accuracy in recalling and using essential knowledge and mathematical methods.

Welcoming the report, which contains good practice examples of mathematics teaching, National Numeracy’s chief executive, Mike Ellicock, said:

We believe every child can become a numerate adult – with skilful teaching in school and encouragement at home. This impressive report draws attention to the vital importance of numeracy and we hope its findings will be acted upon. It is essential that we all recognise the need for better support for those who struggle to catch up – at school and post-school.

Professor Celia Hoyles, Director of the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) said:

A deep understanding of mathematics and of subject-specific pedagogy is crucial for teachers of mathematics. The NCETM welcomes the recommendations Ofsted has made, and looks forward to helping to embed them as part of the professional development of all mathematics teachers.

Carol Vorderman MBE, Chair of the committee reporting last August to the Secretary of State for Education with the influential report A world class mathematics education for all our young people, said:

This report is most welcome as it highlights many of the issues, which our taskforce found consistently create an unequal playing field at all levels in school. Ofsted recognises that the teaching of mathematics and the training of teachers both need to improve. Primary initial teacher training has not addressed the lack of mathematical ability in graduates training to be teachers, almost all of whom gave up maths at GCSE level. My sadness is to see how marked the difference in achievement and education is for those students on free school meals. As a “free school meals kid” at a comprehensive myself it was only because of my superb maths teacher that I was able to get to Cambridge. It is time for change.

Neil Carberry, CBI Director of Employment and Skills, said:

Basic maths is essential for everyday life, as well as a key skill required in the workplace. That’s why it’s so troubling over a third of pupils did not gain grade C in GCSE maths in 2011. Employers want all staff to be numerate, which means being able to confidently handle numbers, work out percentages and make estimates. We strongly support the Ofsted recommendation to encourage more young people to continue maths education post-16.