Nine Birmingham schools celebrate five-year plan to boost maths aspirations for disadvantaged children
Nine secondary schools in Birmingham are celebrating the first year of participation in a first-of-its-kind project designed to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed in maths at GCSE and beyond. Chosen to be at the forefront of a national research project, participant schools benefit from professional development for their teachers, and exciting maths activities for their students.
On Wednesday 28 January 2026, stakeholders in the Maths Progression Programme (MPP), a five-year project supporting schools in Birmingham to increase students’ achievement and aspirations in maths, will meet at Aston University Maths School to celebrate the early success of the project. Along with the Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal, and representatives from MEI and the Maths Excellence Fund, teachers and senior leaders from the schools and multi-academy trusts involved will celebrate what the project has achieved in its first year.
The MPP is designed to raise young people’s desire to keep studying maths beyond GCSE, and to encourage them to study maths to university level, where Birmingham’s own universities are a fantastic option to continue their studies. It began in 2024 and over 500 students have already benefited, increasing their love of maths and allowing them to see that a career in maths can be for them.
For schools involved in the MPP, both teachers and students receive support. Teachers get five years of sustained professional development, while students get to take part in enhancement sessions, roadshows, booster classes, and trips to local universities. The focus on supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds is based on research which shows that they typically perform less well than their peers in secondary school, but that they have the same potential for success.
All the schools involved are proud that Birmingham was chosen to be the flagship city for this project, and that their students will benefit from everything the project has to offer. Maths teacher Hannah Chander, from Hamstead Hall Academy, said:
“As a former student of Hamstead Hall, I know how much this project will positively impact our students. When I think back to my own A level Further Maths class, I was the only girl in it. Had there been a project like this when I was studying, I really think it would have encouraged more girls to study Further Maths at A level. Engaging with the students on the project has allowed me to shape their perspective on a future in maths, enabling me to become the role model I desperately wished I had when I was their age.
The participating students now have equal access to enrichment activities. I love the fact that this project targets the key areas for students’ development and strips away any barriers that they would face.”
MEI is an educational charity that transforms lives through maths education. We believe in a society where everyone can become proficient in maths and no-one is held back by poor maths skills. We are committed to improving lives through maths education, and we believe passionately in equity of opportunity for young people.
