Barnsley College secures funding to improve maths teaching
The scheme will improve support for students who are resitting the subject.
Barnsley College has secured government funding to strengthen GCSE maths teaching and improve support for students who are resitting the subject.
The college will work with national charity Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI) as part of a Department for Education-funded programme designed to enhance maths provision across further education.
The initiative, known as the College Maths Partnership, will focus on improving outcomes for students who are required to continue studying maths until they achieve a grade four or above, while also developing teachers’ skills and confidence in the classroom.
Barnsley College principal David Akeroyd said the partnership would “make a tremendous difference” to both staff and students.
He said: “Maths is a vital skill used daily in almost all roles and industries. Strengthening our provision and enriching the experience for staff and students will be of immense value to our whole college community.”
Cam Fermin, the college’s English and maths manager, said the collaboration was “an investment in students’ futures”, adding that it would help tutors build confidence and make maths more accessible and relevant.
Emma Bell, MEI’s director for further education and adult learning said the charity’s role would be to “act as a critical friend” and support long-term development rather than one-off training.
Around 180,000 students resit GCSE maths each year nationally, but pass rates remain low. The partnership will run through the academic year, with MEI providing ongoing coaching and professional development to staff.
Barnsley College, which teaches about 9,000 students across A Levels, vocational courses and apprenticeships, is also part of the FE Maths Mastery Specialist Programme led by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.