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The House of Lords has called on the government to modernise maths education, warning that current teaching risks becoming “increasingly irrelevant” in today’s digital landscape.
In a letter to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, Lord Mair and fellow peers pressed for reforms that reflect the growing importance of computers, data, and artificial intelligence in mathematical applications.
“There’s a clear case for properly reforming the curriculum to reflect the widespread use of computers in practical mathematics,” said Lord Mair. “This would place greater emphasis on coding, and on high-level conceptual thinking – such as abstracting real-world problems into computable models and interpreting the results.”
The committee also raised concerns over the current system’s “rigid focus” on achieving a Grade 4 GCSE, which leaves nearly one in three students without a formal maths qualification. To address this, they have recommended the introduction of a functional-based maths qualification that gives students a more practical way to demonstrate their skills.
The letter asks the education secretary to respond to their concerns by 30 June.
Read the committee’s letter in full here.
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