Press Release
Maths Standards
The Royal Academy of Engineering, which promotes the engineering and technological welfare of the UK, today commented on the National Curriculum Key Stage 3 test results, published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. These results show that while 76% of 14 year olds achieved a level 5 in maths, 24% of 14 year olds did not achieve this expected standard.
The mathematics results represent a small decline in performance in comparison to last year.
The Royal Academy of Engineering said:
"The lack of any improvement in the proportion of teenagers meeting their expected standards in maths makes uncomfortable reading for all those professions, including engineering, that underpin the UK economy.
"Mathematics is essential to a study of engineering, particularly at degree level. A report by the Royal Academy of Engineering - Educating Engineers for the 21st Century - shows that many UK businesses are suffering from a shortage of engineering graduates.
"In the long term, this deficiency can only be successfully resolved if significant improvements in standards in mathematics are made throughout the school system and at an early age. Unless pupils achieve good results in mathematics by the age of 14, they will struggle with GCSE and A level mathematics and the potential supply of students capable of studing engineering at degree level will remain relatively shallow".
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