It all adds up: a vision for the future of maths
The latest PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) findings give us plenty to think about. Average maths performance across OECD countries has fallen by the equivalent of just over a year of learning since 2015. In Scotland, almost one in three pupils did not reach the baseline level of mathematical proficiency.
For anyone thinking about the future of maths education, the challenge is clear.
Despite this, teachers are working incredibly hard. The answer can't simply be to ask them to do more. For me, it starts with being clear about what a meaningful maths education can achieve and working with the profession to get there.
Making maths add up
Maths gives young people far more than the ability to calculate an answer.
For me, part of what makes maths so rewarding is the joy that comes from working something out: making connections, solving a problem and reaching that moment when something finally makes sense.
And those experiences build a toolkit that young people can carry with them. Maths helps them question assumptions, interpret data and make informed decisions about the world around them.
So how do we help more students experience that sense of understanding and possibility?
At Pearson, our vision for maths is built around three principles: secure foundations, clear progression and lasting confidence. We believe these can help students build their knowledge and understanding, see where maths can take them and feel able to succeed.
Secure foundations
So much of what makes maths rewarding comes from making connections and experiencing the moment something finally makes sense.
But students need secure foundations to get there. Those foundations give young people the ability to reason, tackle unfamiliar problems and become more independent in their learning.
For teachers, that means accessible learning experiences, fair assessments and a clear picture of what students understand, so they can identify misconceptions, target support and know when students are ready to move on.
That matters at a time when many teachers are seeing significant barriers to learning. In the 2026 Pearson School and College Report, 73% of maths teachers described student disengagement as a barrier to learning, while 78% said attendance was affecting student progress.
Every student should have the opportunity to take part in maths, whatever their background, abilities or needs. Getting those foundations right has to be our starting point.
Find out how we’re strengthening secure foundations, and where we want to go further.
Clear progression
Students deserve to understand not only what they're learning, but why it matters and where it could take them.
Exams matter, but the value of maths reaches far beyond a single assessment. Maths teachers already recognise that wider purpose. While 87% believe developing academic achievement is part of their responsibility, almost two-thirds (62%) also see developing core life skills as part of their role.
For me, that's an important part of what progression should mean. We want young people to develop beyond recalling a method or reproducing something they've seen before, and to be able to use their mathematical thinking in new situations.
Progression is also about helping students see what comes next. Coherent qualifications, clear pathways and support at important transition points can help young people understand how today's learning connects with further study, employment and future opportunities.
Lasting confidence
Confidence can shape a young person's relationship with maths for life.
When students have secure foundations, they can see the progress they're making and experience success, they're more likely to stay engaged, embrace challenge and trust themselves to use what they know.
We also need to recognise the barriers that can get in the way. Maths anxiety can affect a student's ability to participate, take risks and have a go. Tackling it means developing resilience and creating classroom cultures where mistakes are treated as part of learning rather than something to fear.
Teachers need confidence too.
With curriculum and qualification reform ahead, alongside rapid developments in technology and AI, schools need support they can rely on. As those technologies evolve, teachers should remain in the lead, with tools that have a clear purpose and genuinely enhance teaching and learning.
They also need qualifications and resources that are informed by evidence, shaped by schools and grounded in what works.
Get that right and more young people can leave education with both the mathematical knowledge they need and the confidence to use it.
Explore how we’re helping build lasting confidence in maths.
These three principles sit at the heart of Pearson's vision for maths. But this isn't a vision we want to shape alone.
We're working closely with teachers, students, subject experts and the wider maths community to understand what works, what needs to change and what support schools and trusts need next.
Because when strong foundations, clear progression and lasting confidence come together, young people can see what they know, where maths can take them and what they're capable of doing next.
That's the future we're working towards, together: one where every young person has the opportunity to experience the moment when it all adds up.
Learn more on how it all adds up and browse our maths vision support
Les Hopper is a senior product leader at Pearson, specialising in digital learning, science and maths. With nearly 20 years’ experience in education and digital product development, Les has led teams and strategies spanning curriculum, assessment, innovation and AI, with a focus on creating engaging, research-informed experiences for teachers and learners.