Improving Maths and Science education

Another politician, this time Michael Gove, bemoaning the fall in UK maths and science. However, the decline, as measured by the OECD is real enough. The government's review group reports in August. Finland does well in the rankings with a high degree of teaching and curriculum freedom.

At school, British 15-year-olds' maths skills are now more than two whole academic years behind 15-year-olds in China. In the last decade, we have plummeted down the international league tables: from 4th to 16th place in science; and from 8th to 28th in maths. While other countries - particularly Asian nations - have raced ahead we have, in the words of the OECD's Director of Education, "stagnated."