Smith, who is also vice-chairman of the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust, said that forcing children through the exam system early was a ‘disaster’ and a ‘mistake’. Instead pupils should use the extended time to further enhance their skills and build on knowledge already taught in school.
He said: “Unusually bright people find the school mathematics syllabus undemanding. But there’s so much worthwhile mathematics to keep them happy and busy while their bodies turn into adults. School maths barely scratches the surface.”
A new report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) and the Centre for Youth and Education (CfEY) has revealed the need for targeted efforts to increase post-16 participation in STEM subjects for currently underrepresented groups.
The largest trial of its kind in the UK has shown how a low-cost, structured, anti-bullying programme can improve social dynamics in primary schools and reduce victimisation.
The Premier League has teamed up with the Anti-Bullying Alliance to launch a new set of free, curriculum-linked teaching resources for schools in support of Anti-Bullying Week 2024 (11 to 15 November).