A-level results were released today for students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scottish Higher results were released on 8 August. The LMS congratulates all students and their teachers for all their hard work represented in the results today and extends its warmest wishes to the student for the next step in their journey.
The number of A-level Mathematics entries rose by 1.3% compared with 2022, with 96,853 student entries also representing a 5.4% increase in entries from 2019. Entries for A-level Further Mathematics decreased slightly compared with 2022, with a 0.4% fall in entries, though this still represents a 3.8% increase in entries from 2019. Mathematics remains the most popular A-level choice, with Psychology and Biology the second and third most popular.
Professor Kevin Houston, the LMS Education Secretary has said:
“That maths is the most popular A-level is of course pleasing. However this is failing to translate into significant numbers of undergraduate students studying mathematics. With mathematics used everywhere, mathematics graduates are important in the UK's healthcare, security and general economy. Despite this, more and more mathematics departments in HE are coming under pressure with the threat of closure or reduction and hence more work needs to be done to ensure the continued good health of mathematics in the UK.”
Earlier this year, the Prime Minster outlined his vision to ensure that every pupil would study mathematics up to the age of 18 to combat the ‘anti-maths mindset’ that was prevalent across the UK, both in and out of schools. Commenting at the time, Professor Ulrike Tillmann FRS, President of the London Mathematical Society said:
"The world is changing and more maths - from numeracy to mathematical proof, from algorithms to statistics - will help prepare the next generation for life and a job market that is more data-driven and requires quantitative skills at all levels. Naturally, this means also supporting and training more maths teachers, and it is right that this is central to the government's plans."