Enhancing the quality of mathematics education in Scotland: Conclusion and recommendations
HM Inspectors of Education hope that all those involved in the learning and teaching of mathematics will find this report both insightful and of practical value when reviewing their practice and planning for improvements. We would urge colleagues at all levels of the education system to carefully consider and reflect on our findings and take the necessary steps to implement change. It will take all of those involved in mathematics education to work collaboratively to improve the learning and teaching experiences of children and young people in mathematics in Scotland, as no single part of the system can achieve these improvements in isolation. For this reason, we have not assigned recommendations to specific groups. Instead, we make the following recommendations for settings and schools, local authorities, national bodies and the Scottish Government to drive forward the essential improvements collectively.
The following recommendations are not just for schools and settings, but also for local authorities, national bodies and Scottish Government.
- Continue to develop targeted strategies to recruit and retain qualified mathematics teachers, particularly in secondary and Gaelic Medium Education.
- Ensure that all educators have access to ongoing, high-quality professional learning that deepens their understanding of mathematical concepts and effective pedagogy.
- Focus on improving the quality of mathematics learning and teaching to ensure that lessons are engaging and appropriately challenging for the diverse learning needs of children and young people.
- Enhance professional learning and leadership of learning to support practitioners and teachers to better meet the diverse needs of children and young people.
- Strengthen formative assessment practices to ensure that children and young people receive clear, actionable feedback and allow children and young people to demonstrate their mathematics knowledge and skills in a range of ways and contexts.
- Increase collaboration among and between schools, local authorities, and national bodies to share effective practices in learning, teaching, and assessment in mathematics.
- Take account of the insights of this report as part of the Curriculum Improvement Cycle.
HM Inspectors will publish a follow-up report on the quality of learning and teaching in mathematics aligned with implementation of the Curriculum Improvement Cycle. As part of the review of school inspections, we will consider how to more explicitly comment on the quality of curriculum subjects, including mathematics. This approach will inform regular updates on the quality of education in Scotland, provided by His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education.
