Autumn Budget: Colleges to receive £600 for every extra maths student at level 3

Chancellor Philip Hammond is expected to make a £177 million pledge to improve maths skills in his Autumn Budget
22nd November 2017, 11:06am

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Autumn Budget: Colleges to receive £600 for every extra maths student at level 3

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/autumn-budget-colleges-receive-ps600-every-extra-maths-student-level-3
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Colleges will be given £600 for every extra student who studies A level maths, according to a report in The Telegraph.

It has been reported chancellor Philip Hammond will make this announcement - alongside a broader, £177 million fund - to improve skills in the subject in his Autumn Budget speech later today.

According to the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), who are campaigning for more funding for sixth-form college students, the investment is “welcome” news, but “does not address the fundamental underfunding of sixth-form education in England”.

James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the SFCA, said: “Schools and colleges will welcome any new investment in 16 to 19 education, as sixth formers in England are chronically underfunded compared to other countries and other phases of education. Our recent funding impact survey showed that over a third of schools and colleges have dropped Stem courses as a result of funding pressures, including further maths and core maths qualifications. However, this new package of measures does not address the fundamental underfunding of sixth-form education in England.”

He added: “The government’s priority should be to ensure that schools and colleges receive the funding they need to provide young people with a rounded, high quality, education - irrespective of the subjects they choose to study at A level. The government has clearly listened to some of the concerns expressed through the Support Our Sixth-formers campaign - but there is still a long way to go to ensure all sixth form students in England get a fair deal on funding.”

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