GCSE Maths Really adds the money up

Children who are good at GCSE Maths and go on to study Maths at A level are far more likely to earn more money, compared than other children by the time they are 30, a study has found. It is already well known that children who do well at school in early reading are to have higher earnings compared to those who do not. But it is in GCSE Maths that researchers claim there is an especially strong link between Maths skills and future pay.

The same has also been seen with younger children. Studies carried out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) have found children who were good at Maths at 10 went on to earn 7% more at 30 than an “otherwise identical” child.
One of the authors of the studies, Claire Crawford, said: "Our research shows that Maths skills developed during primary school continue to matter for earnings 20-30 years down the line.

“Moreover, they seem to matter more than reading skills, and over and above the qualifications that young people go on to obtain. This highlights the importance of investing in skills, particularly Maths skills, early.”
Maths lessons in England and Wales are being overhauled. The UK government in England is overhauling the Maths curriculum for primary schools, in attempt to raise standards and get more children interested in Maths. And it has said from September, teenagers will keep studying maths until they are 18 if they have not passed a GCSE in the subject at grade C or above.

GCSE Maths Revision expert Steven Britton said: “This is necessary to ensure that all students by the age of 18 have proven that they have the right Maths skills to equip them in life”. At primary school, the UK Governments says there should be more emphasis on arithmetic and that some topics, such as the calculation of fractions, volume and area should be covered earlier. It is also banning calculators from national maths tests (known as Sats) taken by 11-year-olds.
Schools Minister Elizabeth Truss said: "This research clearly shows why mastering the basics in maths at primary school is so important.
“That’s why our draft maths primary school curriculum focuses on raising standards in arithmetic, including efficient calculation methods such as long and short multiplication and division, and fractions.”

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