Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Maths Hubs programme in improving GCSE maths attainment in disadvantaged areas.

The Maths Hubs programme aims to raise attainment for all students in England while reducing attainment gaps, including the disadvantage gap. Data for schools with high rates of free school meals (FSM) eligibility shows that approximately 60% of both primary and secondary mainstream state-funded schools with 50%+ FSM engaged with Maths Hubs programmes during the 2024/25 academic year. Ongoing Education Endowment Foundation trials of the Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics (Secondary) programme will include analysis of impact for disadvantage pupils.

Although influenced by many factors, the results of international comparison studies show that England performs above the international averages. In 2023, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study found that performance of pupils in both year 5 and year 9 in mathematics in England was significantly above the relevant international average. Maths Hubs are continuing to support schools with the aim of reducing gaps in attainment.