About Maths Icon

The Dire Reality

The statistics paint a sobering picture. Over a third of UK adults - 35% - say that doing mathematics makes them feel anxious. Even more alarming, one in five adults report that maths makes them feel physically sick. Nearly a third of our population actively tries to avoid anything to do with numbers and data. This is not merely discomfort; this is a national emergency of confidence and competence.

Unfortunately, children are inheriting this crisis. A staggering 54% of girls and 43% of boys lack confidence in learning mathematics. More than half of adults - 52% - stopped studying maths at school as soon as they were able to. And perhaps most devastating of all, 54% of the UK's working-age population has low numeracy skills. We have normalised mathematical failure in a world that increasingly demands mathematical excellence.

The Economic Imperative

The economic consequences of this mathematical deficit are staggering. The mathematical sciences contribute an extraordinary £495 billion annually to the UK economy - yet we are failing to nurture the talent pipeline to sustain this contribution. Currently, 4.2 million individuals work in mathematical science occupations, representing 13% of all UK employment. These workers demonstrate productivity 58% higher than the UK average and earn salaries 24% higher.

But here's the crisis: we cannot fill these positions. A shocking 43% of vacancies in STEM roles remain unfilled due to skills shortages - almost double the UK average of 24%. For engineering professionals, the situation is even more dire, with nearly 60% of vacancies difficult to fill. By the end of 2023, 934,000 vacancies were recorded in the UK, with 46% in STEM-related fields. We are turning away opportunity because we have failed to equip our people with the mathematical confidence they need.

A Preventative Solution for Future Generations

For too long, we have approached this crisis reactively - attempting to fix mathematical failures after they have occurred, forcing reluctant teenagers to resit GCSEs, creating a cycle of demoralisation that reinforces negative attitudes. This approach has failed. We need prevention, not remediation. We need intervention in the early years when minds are open, when curiosity is natural, when the seeds of mathematical anxiety have not yet taken root.

The research is clear: emotional barriers, fear, and confusion create mental blockages that compound over time. Without mastering foundational concepts, learners face cascading difficulty, frustration, and demoralisation as material becomes more complex. We must break this cycle before it begins. We must restore mathematical confidence in younger generations, ensuring that every child sees mathematics not as an obstacle to overcome, but as a gateway to possibility.

Introducing Maths Icon: A Force for Transformation

This is where Maths Icon enters the picture - not as another programme, but as a movement. Maths Icon is determined to change the dire situation we face, to uplift the status of mathematics in our society, and to ensure that children and young people can take full advantage of maths as a gateway to innovation, discovery, and opportunity.

Maths Icon recognises that two-thirds of adults agree you don't realise how important maths skills are until you're older. We cannot afford another generation learning this lesson too late. Maths Icon works preventatively.

I wholeheartedly welcome you to the era of Maths Icon. Together, let us make every child, a Maths Icon.