Compulsory maths to age 18 - good idea?

Newsletter for post 16 maths and English

For many it is,but for certain categories of learners, it isn't and they face these issues.

• A significant problem area in GCSE is understanding and applying interest rates. Too many learners fail to attempt these questions leading to significant deficiencies in financial numeracy, even where learners pass GCSE at grade C.
• Too much focus at secondary school is applied to "passing GCSE" rather than numeracy to support an active citizenship life.
• 88% of learners who do not achieve level 4 in their SATS at age 11 will go on to fail GCSE.
• A learner who has failed GCSE resit more than twice is very unlikely to be engaged and motivated to pass in the future.
• GCSE Maths is an abstract concept - it is complex maths in a simple context. Whereas real life problems almost always demand simple and straightforward maths in a complex context