So, in light of Rishi Sunak's promise to make Maths mandatory at sixth form (16-18), let's examine what effect that would have in different scenarios:
Case 1, You have great GCSE grades and want to study maths at A-Level
Result: No difference here.
Case 2, You have great GCSE grades, including maths, but don't want to study further maths.
Result: Assuming you don't want to take an uneccessary GCSE retake, or similar level numeracy course, you're forced to take Maths at A-Level.
This could tangibly interfere with your educational goals, cause lower grades, and result in you not getting the University place you want, or worst case scenario, dropping out or not even taking your education further than GCSE, when you would otherwise have done so.
Case 3, You have good GCSE grades, but don't have the numeracy skills you need to go where you want.
Result: Most likely you'll be doing a math retake, so no difference here. Though a retake might only take one year, how will this case be dealt with?
Case 4, You have good GCSE grades, and are able to take the A-Levels you want, but don't have good maths grades or good numeracy skills.
Result, Well now you have a real impediment to getting the A-Levels you wanted, and the University place you would have qualified for.
Maybe you're studying creative subjects, or suffer from dyscalculia, either way your path is now a lot more difficult, and worst case scenario you now don't go on to study after school.
Case 5, You have poor grades, but there are further education opportunities available.
Result, Now you're being forced to study a subject that most likely caused one of your poor grades, and an already challenging path is now even more difficult. Worst case scenario you don't bother with further education.
(I'm sure I've missed some scenarios, please let me know and I'll update this post.)
This looks by and large to be counter-productive, other than a few cases where it wont make any difference, it will be largely detrimental to the paths of students who don't want, or need, to study maths, and have little effect on those who do.
And this misses the real problems with numeracy and maths education. Basic day-to-day numeracy should be taught at primary level (5-11) More advanced subjects, Algebra, Trig etc. Should be taught at secondary level (11-16) That's over a decade's worth of Maths tuition.
If students are still failing after a decade of tuition, the problem is occurring somewhere in that decade and that's where we need to focus our attention. We've already failed them at this point.
Or maybe we need to make concessions for those individuals that can excel without strong math skills?
Either way, disrupting their education at a point that they could only have reached with hard work and proficiency in other areas is only going to effect one change, and that's to deter students from taking further education, and/or going to University.
To be fair on Rishi, this very questionable solution has apparently been recommended by other experts. Which is mind-boggling.
Now, I'm all down with choosing a different path than University, but to encourage it by mandating the study of the most challenging academic subject, and under the pretence of improving our education system is nothing short of perverse.
Especially when we're failing our young by not providing adequate Maths education, making it seem like we are, when all we're doing is disrupting further education in the process.
It's nothing short of a travesty.