One of the most in-depth reports into the state of maths in British society has been published today (22nd July.) Commissioned by Axiom Maths, the report finds that there is a previously hidden public appreciation for maths, defying traditional negative stereotypes. The British public enjoy maths, think it matters for our economy, and want their children to do more of it.

The research reveals that:

79% of people in London think maths is important for the future of our economy. The government’s last Employer Skills Survey showed that there were 16,000 Science, Maths, Technology and Engineering vacancies in England, with the shortage costing the UK £1.5b a year.

68% of people in London support making it compulsory for young people to study maths, or develop maths skills, until the age of 18. The previous government stated it’s intention to ensure children study maths to age 18, the new Labour government appears to be focusing on numeracy skills for primary aged children.

71% of people in London agree that maths is an essential part of everyday life. In addition, when respondents were provided with practical examples of everyday mental maths, the report found that the vast majority are, in fact, confident in their abilities.

Only 27% of people in London would call themselves a mathematician, but this is the highest rate in a region. Younger respondents were more likely to call themselves mathematicians, and young workers are more likely to say maths skills are important to their current roles.

Axiom Maths is a charity that partners with schools to deliver a fully-funded programme to help every child with the head and heart for maths realise the potential of their power. It believes in the power of maths to transform lives and nations. Access to that power should not depend on a child’s background.

Axiom Maths has already produced research which calculates that the UK is ‘losing’ around 30K high-attaining primary school pupils once they start secondary school due to a fall-off in interest and negative peer pressure.

Boosting maths attainment and understanding of the importance of maths for future economic development could significantly fill a national STEM skills gap. Achieving higher Maths qualifications can also add £500,000 to total lifetime career earnings.

David Thomas, CEO, Axiom Maths said:

“It’s really interesting to note that while people in London clearly recognise the importance of maths, so few of them are willing to describe themselves as a mathematician. Our research shows that there are much higher levels of appreciation for the power of maths in terms of gaining valuable employment skills and national growth and it’s encouraging to see a clear desire for people to become more confident in using maths in their everyday lives.”