Axiom Maths research
All content embargoed until 00:01 January 16th 2024.
Missing mathematicians calculations
| IDACI quintile | Achieve Level 5U or above at KS2 | % Progress to Grade 7+ | # Progress to Grade 7+ | # who don’t achieve Grade 7+ |
| 5 | 24,775 | 73.5% | 18,210 | 6,565 |
| 4 | 23,465 | 68.0% | 15,956 | 7,509 |
| 3 | 16,920 | 63.6% | 10,761 | 6,159 |
| 2 | 14,715 | 59.3% | 8,726 | 5,989 |
| 1 | 11,260 | 52.1% | 5,866 | 5,394 |
The first three columns of the above data are taken from the University of Nottingham’s report, “The Maths Pipeline in England”. Column 2 is taken from Section 8.3.4, Table 3B (it is the sum of pupils achieving Level 5U and Level 6). Column 3 is from Figure 6. The final column is the number of pupils who achieved a Level 5U+ at KS2 and not a a Grade 7+ at GCSE. This column sums to 31,616.
Lifetime earnings premium calculations
We used the government’s LEO database (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-outcomes-leo-provider-level-data) to calculate the average earnings of graduates with and without maths degrees. These are:
- With a mathematics degree – £39,440.58
- Without a mathematics degree – £30,142.46
This gives an annual earnings premium of £9,298.12.
This data is from 2020/21, so needs to be adjusted for inflation. The Bank of England’s inflation calculator gives CPI inflation from 2020/21 to September 2023 as being 21.4%, which gives a adjusted earnings premium of £11,287.92.
Over forty five years of earning, this is a lifetime premium of £507,956.30.
Attitudes to maths
Axiom Maths commissioned Kantar Research to conduct a survey of parents and pupils about their attitudes to maths. Fieldwork was carried out in July 2023. The survey was online, and consisted of a section of questions for parents and a section for their child.
Sample composition
| Year group | # |
| Year 6 | 502 |
| Year 7 | 547 |
| Year 8 | 524 |
| Year 9 | 427 |
| Total | 2000 |
| Socio-economic status | % |
| A | 14% |
| B | 23% |
| C1 | 19% |
| C2 | 19% |
| D | 14% |
| E | 10% |
| Total | N=2000 |
| IDACI decile | # |
| 1-3 (disadvantaged) | 701 |
| 4-10 (not disadvantaged) | 1024 |
Perceptions of maths
We asked pupils to complete the sentence “Maths is…” and gave them a selection of words to use to complete the sentence. They could select as many as applied. The tables below shows the responses of pupils who were high-attaining in Year 6, and pupils who were low-attaining in Year 6.
| Maths is… | Year 6 | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
| useful | 44% | 45% | 53% | 49% |
| essential | 40% | 47% | 54% | 51% |
| interesting | 40% | 41% | 54% | 64% |
| enjoyable | 42% | 34% | 38% | 44% |
| fun | 40% | 30% | 37% | 38% |
| easy | 27% | 38% | 33% | 35% |
| hard | 23% | 21% | 17% | 13% |
| stressful | 12% | 14% | 10% | 7% |
| boring | 9% | 18% | 13% | 6% |
| Maths is… | Year 6 | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
| useful | 21% | 35% | 18% | 19% |
| essential | 32% | 27% | 22% | 19% |
| interesting | 40% | 22% | 17% | 20% |
| enjoyable | 16% | 15% | 17% | 23% |
| fun | 10% | 29% | 32% | 23% |
| easy | 27% | 9% | 18% | 18% |
| hard | 41% | 43% | 41% | 32% |
| stressful | 39% | 28% | 45% | 42% |
| boring | 19% | 23% | 24% | 15% |