Needs

Post-16 study of mathematics: a national problem?
England and Wales are exceptional amongst developed countries in not insisting that mathematics is a compulsory part of the study programmes of post-16 students in full-time education. The Final Report of the National Skills Task Force (2000) identified mathematical skills (above the level of basic numeracy) as one of the six main areas of skills deficiency in the labour market. It proposed that 'government should encourage all young people pursuing a non-vocational route post-16 to study a broader range of subjects, including English and maths'.

Why is continued study of mathematics post-16 relatively unpopular?
Four main categories of mathematics are relevant to post-16 studies:

• study of mathematics as an academic discipline;
• mathematics required to underpin other courses of study;
• key numeracy skills needed for everyday life;
• mathematics needed to function effectively in the workplace.

Traditional AS and A Level Mathematics qualifications were devised with the first of these categories firmly in mind. They often prove unattractive to students who do not wish to pursue an academic study of the subject. This course uses advanced mathematics in a way that addresses the other three categories and serves the needs of the broader post-16 population.