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08 March 2017

The Prime Minister visits the Maths School

Prime Minister Theresa May visited the King’s College London Mathematics School (KCLMS) on Monday (6 March) as she announced that this week’s Budget will confirm an investment boost for good school places for every child in the UK.

The Prime Minister meets students and teachers
The Prime Minister meets students and teachers

Recognising the success of the specialist maths school, the Prime Minister met the School’s Head Teacher Dan Abramson and some current students and visited both a mathematics lesson, in which students were deriving a regression formula, and a physics lesson involving standing waves, and their link to the electron. The Prime Minister revealed that the Treasury will boost investment with over half a billion pounds going to schools to build on her commitment to ensure that every child has the opportunity of a place at a good school, whatever their background.

Dan Abramson said ‘We’re delighted that the Prime Minister chose to visit our school and recognise the impact we’ve had in just two years. I’m proud to have worked with such bright young minds, who are already on route to great things. It’s great news that the Government is committed to expanding the maths schools programme.’

Last summer students at the school celebrated their A-level results with 100 per cent receiving an A* or A grade in Mathematics, including 83% gaining an A*. In addition 95% attained the highest A-Level grades (A*, A or B), and in terms of student attainment KCLMS is already the top performing mixed state school in the country.

Students at KCLMS also make more progress from GCSE to A-level than at almost any other A-level provider in the country. KCLMS has some of the highest proportions for progression to university as well, with 85% of the first graduates currently at the most competitive universities (Russel Group / Sutton Trust 30), and as many as 23% of the current Year 13 students holding an Oxbridge offer. Over half of graduates are now studying mathematics, nearly a quarter physics or engineering, and a further 15% computer science.

Further funding for similar schools to KCLMS has been guaranteed as the Chancellor will confirm today (8 March) the extension of the free schools programme with investment of £320 million to help fund up to 140 schools, creating well over 70,000 new places. This will build on the government’s ongoing commitment to open 500 new free schools by September 2020, giving parents greater choice in finding a good school for their child.

King’s have been involved in the development of the curriculum at the School, which combines Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Economics and Computer Science A-Levels with the Extended Project Qualification that enables students to pursue individual research and construction projects. A relatively high proportion of girls at the School (34 percent of students are girls) shows that it is widening participation in subjects in which girls have been historically under-represented girls studying these STEM subjects (the current national proportions are, at A-level, 29 per cent in Further Maths, 21 per cent in Physics, 9 per cent in Computer Science, 32 per cent in Economics). Mr Abramson has realised a vision for a school at which students are motivated by inspirational staff as well as by each other, and learn in a dynamic space designed to nurture creative thinking.

Prime Minister, Theresa May said, ‘For too many children, a good school place remains out of reach with their options determined by where they live or how much money their parents have.

‘Over the last six years we have overseen a revolution in our schools system and we have raised standards and opportunity, but there is much more to do.

‘As part of our commitment to creating a school system that works for everyone, today we are confirming new investment to give parents a greater choice of a good school place for their child, and we will set out the next stage of our ambitions in the coming months.’

Notes to Editors

For further media information please contact Claire Gilby, PR Manager (Arts & Sciences), 0207 848 3092 or claire.gilby@kcl.ac.uk