The secondary maths theme covers teaching and learning mathematics in Key Stages 3 and 4.
Secondary maths is an area in which socio-economically disadvantaged pupils fall behind their peers, and where there are significant gaps in the research on the best approaches to support pupil attainment.
Maths proficiency matters beyond the classroom, shaping both professional and personal aspects of life.
Analysis from the Department for Education suggests that the lifetime earnings return of an extra GCSE grade in mathematics is higher than for any other subject, and particularly high around the important grade boundaries.
The attainment gap widens during secondary school. In 2024/2025, 53% of all socio-economically disadvantaged pupils achieved at least a grade 4 in their maths GCSEs compared to the national average of 72%. This means that close to half of all disadvantaged pupils are not achieving the standard pass and an even smaller percentage, 33%, is leaving secondary school with a strong pass (grade 5 or above).
Generally, the evidence base for improving attainment in maths is stronger for early and primary maths than it is for secondary. Broadly speaking, approaches that promote pupils’ mathematical understanding and thinking are likely to be effective. Our recent review supports this idea and highlights several promising areas that can lead to improvement in maths teaching and learning, including approaches that:
- Target pupils’ problem solving (including their metacognitive thinking in maths and heuristics)
- Incorporate the use of technological tools
- Focus on providing meaningful feedback to pupils
- Embed collaborative learning, discussion and communication in mathematics teaching
Additionally, these reviews have also helped identify areas where the research base is currently limited for this phase including the use of homework, professional development for teachers, including non-specialists, and the transition from primary to secondary school, where the evidence is particularly limited.
- Evidence review of effective approaches to teaching mathematics in Key Stages 3 and 4. This has now been completed and is undergoing an internal review and is expected to be published in early 2027.
- Practice review to understand current practice and priorities in secondary maths.
- Guidance report on improving mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3, which includes eight recommendations for school leaders and teachers. In 2027, the EEF will also publish new guidance for secondary maths.
- Evidence into Action partnerships
- Wirral Partnership on improving maths attainment at Key Stages 2 and 3 by promoting adaptive teaching techniques.
- Internal and external stakeholder engagement with colleagues from the Research School Network, leading academics, and school-based practitioners all contributing to the development of our commissioning priorities.
In Spring 2024 and Autumn 2024, the EEF commissioned two funding rounds for programmes (early-stage projects, pilots, and trials) on the theme of secondary maths. The priority areas were:
- Mathematical reasoning and thinking
- Problem solving
- Mathematical language
- Targeted support – tutoring by adults and computer-assisted
- Key Stage 2 to 3 transition
- Homework support for disadvantaged pupils
- Subject-specific professional development for mathematics teachers (note: this was only a priority area for Spring 2024).
In Autumn 2024, the EEF also commissioned a funding round for School Choices evaluations in the following priority areas:
- Deployment of non-specialist teachers
- Supporting students to engage with homework
- Curriculum organisation
Then, in Summer 2025, the EEF commissioned a funding round on Teacher Choices evaluations prioritising the following areas:
- Problem solving
- Mathematical communication
We funded 10 projects as part of the Spring and Autumn 2024 funding rounds, of which one is an effectiveness trial, three are efficacy trials, four are early-stage programme development projects, and two are School Choices evaluations. Commissioning for the Teacher Choices evaluations is currently underway.
Given the interconnected nature of maths, projects cover all priority areas in varying degrees at different stages of our pipeline with some priority areas (e.g., mathematical language and Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 transition) currently only targeted through our early-stage development work.
Completed trials and pilot studies
| Highest-level EEF project | Project | Delivery team | Year groups | Level of intervention | Description | Headline results | Beyond the headline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effectiveness | Increasing Pupil Motivation | University of Bristol | Year 11 | Whole class | Programme designed to improve attainment at GCSE by providing incentives to increase pupil effort in Year 11. Two schemes for incentivising pupil effort were implemented. The first provided a financial incentive and the second provided an incentive of a trip or event. | +1 month 2 padlocks | Although there was no evidence of a significant positive impact of event incentives or financial incentives on GCSE attainment, there was a significant effect in classwork effort for the financial incentive. |
| Effectiveness | Ark Mathematics Mastery: Secondary | ARK | Reception | Whole school | The programme aims to deepen pupils’ conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts. Compared to traditional curricula, fewer topics are covered in more depth, and greater emphasis is placed on problem solving and on encouraging mathematical thinking. | +1 months 4 padlocks | Evaluation findings suggest there is no strong evidence that the approach had a greater impact on lower-attaining pupils than on higher-attaining pupils. Pupils made more progress in material that was focused on within the programme. |
| Effectiveness | Increasing Competence and Confidence in Algebra and Multiplicative Structures (ICCAMS) | University of Nottingham and Durham University | Years 7 – 8 | Whole class | Programme designed to teach two mathematical areas that are a key part of the Key Stage 3 curriculum, but which cause problems to students – algebra and multiplicative reasoning (e.g., percentages and proportions). | 0 months 3 padlocks | Pupils eligible for free school meals in ICCAMS schools made the equivalent of one month’s progress in mathematics. The evaluation identified the cascade training required for the programme as a significant challenge. |
| Effectiveness | Tutor Trust – Affordable Individual and Small Group Tuition (Secondary) | The Tutor Trust | Years 9 – 11 | Targeted | Programme aims to provide affordable small group and one-to-one tuition, predominantly to disadvantaged pupils in schools in challenging communities. The tutors are university students and recent graduates, enabling tuition to be provided at a competitive rate on a not-for-profit basis. | +2 months in maths Security rating not assigned | The evaluation did not assign a security rating due to limitations of the study design and the absence of a high-quality comparison group. Overall, the evaluation found that participating pupils achieved slightly higher mathematics GCSE scores and lower English GCSE scores than pupils in the comparison group. |
| Efficacy | Eedi | Eedi | Years 10 – 11 | Whole class | Eedi is a mathematics homework setting platform, designed to facilitate teachers’ ability to identify student mathematics misconceptions through diagnostic multiple-choice questions. | N/A | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary outcome for this evaluation was not collected and so no measure of impact on maths attainment is reported. The implementation and process evaluation suggests that Eedi reduced teacher workload. Exploratory analysis showed that pupils eligible for free school meals were less likely to start and complete an Eedi quiz than their peers. |
| Efficacy | Realistic Maths Education | Manchester Metropolitan University | Years 7 – 8 | Whole class | An approach to teaching mathematics that builds on students’ informal sense-making in response to imaginable and meaningful contexts. It focuses on progressive formalisation of mathematical models, supported by interactive teaching techniques in a whole class context. | 0 months Security rating not assigned | Both programme delivery and outcome testing were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There was some enthusiasm from teachers about the approach and professional development offered. |
| Efficacy | Maths in Context | Young Enterprise | Years 10 – 11 | Whole class | The intervention targets all pupils over the two years of GCSE assessment. The programme comprises of teacher professional development and detailed lesson plans designed to embed the maths topic in a context that has either immediate interest or future interest. | 0 months 4 padlocks | While pupils receiving the programme (including pupils eligible for free school meals) made no additional progress in maths, the process evaluation found that teachers showed a high level of support for the intervention. |
| Pilot | Direct Instruction in Key Stage 3 – Connecting Maths Concepts | NIFDI and Midlands Academies Trust | Years 7 – 9 | Whole class (but targeted at low prior attainers) | The programme aims to enable pupils to master key concepts through opportunities to practise and review their understanding. It comprises of scripted lessons and assessments designed to provide explicit and systematic instruction on fundamental concepts in mathematics. | Mixed findings about the feasibility of the implementation and effectiveness of the approach. | Although instructors and pupils in the pilot study viewed several of the programme elements as effective, other elements (e.g., choral responding and repetition) were regarded as less effective. Implementation challenges and a lack of curriculum alignment were also reported. |
Completed Choices evaluations
| Highest-level EEF project | Project | Evaluator | Year groups | Level of intervention | Description | Headline results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Choices | What works at Key Stage 4, two or three years of study? | National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) | Years 9 – 11 | N/A | This study used a Quasi Experimental Design that aimed to compare the differences in pupil outcomes between two groups of schools – those offering a three-year Key Stage 4 compared to those offering a two-year Key Stage 4. | While this study reports some observed differences in the outcomes of interest, the research team is unable to make any claims as to whether these differences are due to the length of Key Stage 4. |
Completed policy evaluations
| Highest-level EEF project | Project | Delivery team | Year groups | Level of intervention | Description | Headline results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Policy evaluation | National Tutoring Programme: NTP Academic Mentoring | Delivered through TeachFirst | Year 11 | Targeted | The Academic Mentoring Programme trained academic mentors to deliver 1:1 and small-group tutoring in disadvantaged schools. The Department for Education appointed TeachFirst to manage the provision of mentors to schools; recruiting, training and placing them in schools. The mentor worked in the school setting as an employee of the school. Mentoring was provided online and/or face-to-face; and was 1:1 or in small groups (typically 2 – 4 pupils); and available in English/literacy, maths, science, humanities and modern foreign languages. | Months’ progress and security rating not provided due to dilution and other challenges associated with the trial. In maths, Year 11 pupils eligible for Pupil Premium in schools that received the programme made, on average, slightly more progress (equivalent to 1 months’ additional progress) compared to Year 11 pupils eligible for Pupil Premium in comparison schools. However, there is uncertainty around this result. |
| Policy evaluation | National Tutoring Programme: NTP Tuition Partners | Delivered through the EEF | Year 11 | Targeted | Tuition Partners was designed to provide additional support to schools and teachers, to supplement classroom teaching, through subsidised, high-quality tutoring for schools from an approved list of Tuition Partners. Tutoring was targeted at children eligible for the Pupil Premium. Schools selected children to receive up to 15 hours of tutoring in a subject. Tutoring was designed to be delivered mainly in small groups (one tutor to three pupils) or 1:1 for pupils with additional needs. | 0 months progress 1 padlock (for the overall evaluation covering primary and secondary). The evaluation was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Priority area | Highest-level EEF project | Project | Delivery team | Year groups | Level of intervention | Description | Headline results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Targeted support – tutoring by adults and computer-assisted | Effectiveness | Action Tutoring | Action Tutoring | Year 7, Years 10 – 11 | Targeted | In this programme, tutors deliver a bespoke scheme of work developed by curriculum experts for small-group tuition. In the first half of the year, Year 10 and 11 pupils receive weekly one-hour tuition. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | The evaluation report will be published in Summer 2027. |
| Targeted support – tutoring by adults and computer-assisted | Efficacy | Peer-to-Peer Coaching | CoachBright | Year 7, Year 10 | Targeted | This programme aims to improve maths attainment by training Year 10 pupils to become academic coaches and supporting them to coach a Year 7 peer. Coaching will focus primarily on metacognitive strategies and challenging maths topics. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | The evaluation report will be published in Summer 2028. |
| Subject specific professional development for maths teachers | Efficacy | Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics | The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) | Year 8 | Whole class | A professional development programme for non-specialist Key Stage 3 maths teachers. It aims to enhance their subject knowledge and pedagogical understanding, aligned with teaching for mastery principles and the Department for Education’s non-statutory Key Stage 3 guidance. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | The evaluation report will be published in Summer 2027. |
| Mathematical reasoning and thinking; subject specific professional development for maths teachers | Efficacy | Making Fluent and Flexible Calculators | HFL Education | Year 7 | Whole class but targeted at lower sets | The programme aims to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of a range of mental calculation strategies. It explicitly teaches a range of calculation processes to develop faster and more agile basic number work, with the aim of improving the maths attainment of Year 7 students with low-prior attainment. | The evaluation report will be published in Summer 2027. |
| Problem solving | Pilot | Thinking Mathematically | Blackpool Research School | Year 7 | Whole class | As part of the programme, teachers are trained to use modelling, heuristics and discussion to improve pupils’ metacognitive skills and resilience in answering problem-solving questions. | Progressed to pilot after the early-stage programme development project showed promise in terms of feasibility and acceptability to settings. The evaluation report for the pilot study will be published in Summer 2026. |
| Priority area | Highest-level EEF project | Project | Delivery team | Year groups | Level of intervention | Description | Headline results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematical language | Early-stage programme development | Developing Mathematical Dialogues in KS3 | University of Bristol | Years 7 – 9 | Whole class | A whole-class programme designed to develop pupils’ mathematical dialogues. Pupils will be given the opportunity to articulate their mathematical thinking and “try out” ideas. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | Project will conclude in Spring 2026. |
| Mathematical language | Early-stage programme development | Communicating Mathematically in Algebra | University of Oxford | Years 7 – 9 | Whole class | A professional development programme that targets the use of communication-focused teaching strategies. It examines the linguistic demands of key concepts within algebra, and teaching strategies that can improve students’ communication, argumentation and reasoning in mathematics. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | Project will conclude in Spring 2026. |
| KS2 – KS3 transition | Early-stage programme development | Collaborative Lesson Research for KS2-KS3 Transitions | Collaborative Lesson Research – UK | Years 6 – 7 | Whole class | The programme aims to use Japanese Problem Solving and the lesson study approach in a cross-phase collaborative programme with Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 teachers. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | Project will conclude in Autumn 2026. |
| KS2 – KS3 transition | Early-stage programme development | Reducing Maths Anxiety During Secondary Transition | Lancashire Professional Development Services | Year 7 | Whole class | The programme aims to use metacognitive approaches to reduce maths anxiety in Year 7 pupils when they enter secondary school. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | Project will conclude in Spring 2026. |
| Priority area | Highest-level EEF project | Project | Evaluator | Year groups | Description | Headline results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum organisation | School Choices | Secondary Maths GCSE Tier of Entry | Sheffield Hallam University | Details to be added at the end of the scoping phase. | The evaluation aims to assess the link between the tier that a pupil is entered for at GCSE (Foundation versus Higher for borderline pupils) and GCSE outcomes. Tier of entry is influenced by the predicted grade, and schools take a variety of approaches to formulate a predicted grade, which will also be explored in this project, including where disadvantaged pupils are differentially affected. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | The scoping phase will be completed in Spring 2026. |
| Supporting students to engage with homework | School Choices | Secondary Maths – Homework Clubs | NFER | To be determined at the end of the scoping phase. | The evaluation aims to assess the link between schools offering a minimum of 3 hours of after school homework support and pupils’ GCSE maths outcomes. Disadvantaged pupils are most likely to face barriers to accessing homework, and accessing homework is linked to higher attainment. This project is co-funded by XTX Markets. | The scoping phase will be completed in Spring 2026. |
N/A | School Choices | Student Grouping Study | UCL Institute of Education | Year 7 – 8 | Schools that currently practice mixed attainment grouping in Years 7 and 8 have been recruited to the study. These schools are matched with schools that practice setting by attainment to provide a comparison group of schools. Differences in outcomes for pupils across these two schools will be looked at, including attainment differences and pupil self-confidence | The evaluation report will be published in Spring 2026. |