A specialist mathematics sixth form school is set to open in the East Midlands, which will have a substantial impact on maths education in the region.
The University of Nottingham Maths School will be open to 16-19 year olds and is being launched in a collaboration between the University of Nottingham and the East Midlands Education Trust.The school aims to encourage more students from underrepresented backgrounds to study maths-based STEM subjects and increasing diversity within STEM.
Professor Sarah Speight, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at the University of Nottingham, said: "I am pleased to be working in partnership with the East Midlands Education Trust to play our part in improving the prosperity, opportunity and well-being for the East Midlands. "A new maths school for the most mathematically able young people, aligns with our strategic vision directly supporting our goals and enabling us to widen participation in Maths and STEM subjects in the region."
This collaboration brings together two outstanding partners with extensive experience in post-16 and higher education and our commitment to outreach and working with other organisations throughout the region will provide an exciting opportunity to increase the capacity and the variety of mathematical outreach.
The school, will grow to educate around 200 students, building on the existing successful models of maths schools now established around the UK.
In addition, the Maths School will run an outreach and Continuing Professional Development scheme for other schools and colleges in the East Midlands region. This is designed to promote teaching excellence and support a stronger maths ecosystem by supporting other schools and colleges to enhance maths teaching and support teaching development in the area.
We are delighted to be working with the University of Nottingham on this prestigious project. It is our combined aspiration, with this venture, to make a real difference for the children in the East Midlands for those students who will benefit from the specialist curriculum we intend to offer. By partnering with the University we hope to provide the very highest quality of teaching whilst at the same time provide opportunities for young people to experience University life. In doing so we aim to enable an increase the participation of higher education for children who might otherwise have thought this option was not available to them.
The plans come in line with the government's pledge to provide specialist maths schools in England for every region.
We said we would open a maths school in every region of England and we are delivering on that promise. New maths schools like the one in Nottingham will support excellence in maths education, giving businesses the crucial STEM skills they need to succeed on the global stage and investing in the futures of talented kids who might not otherwise have had these sorts of opportunities."
The school will be designed with a view to working in close partnership and forming a community of maths schools across the UK.
