This Ofsted subject report looks at how mathematics is being taught in England’s schools. The report evaluates the common strengths and weaknesses of mathematics in the schools inspected and considers the challenges that mathematics education faces.
The report found that the overall picture of maths education is now broadly more positive than it was 11 years ago.
The overall picture of mathematics education in England is broadly healthy due to the commitment of school leaders, teachers and members of the mathematics subject community.
It is now common for teachers, in both primary and secondary schools, to receive regular subject-specific professional development. In primary schools, this support is often provided through Maths Hubs and is put in place by leaders who have a clear focus on developing teachers’ subject-specific teaching knowledge. Leaders’ strong understanding of high-quality mathematics education tends to be reflected in their monitoring foci.
In secondary schools, it is much more common for professional development to take the form of departmental meetings that focus on curriculum design and effective curriculum practice.