AMiE responds to the Level 1 English and maths qualification consultation 2 June 2026

The Department for Education recently consulted on proposed new 16–19 Level 1 English and maths qualifications. The proposals follow the Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy White Paper and are informed by the Curriculum and Assessment Review. Under the English and maths Condition of Funding, all 16–19 students who have not yet achieved a GCSE grade 4 or Level 2 pass in English and/or maths are required to continue studying these subjects as part of their study programme. The proposed new qualifications would provide a specific pathway within that wider requirement for lower prior-attaining students with GCSE grade 2 or below, helping them consolidate foundational knowledge before progressing to GCSE.

Although the proposals concern post-16 qualifications, they reflect issues shared across AMiE’s membership. Many learners in this group have moved through mathematics education with experiences of disappointment, repeated thresholds and resits. AMiE’s response is guided by a central question: will this qualification help learners reconnect with mathematics as something useful, accessible and relevant?

Our response emphasised meaningful mathematical development, not simply performance. Learners need to see that they are building something worthwhile, fitting the pieces of their mathematical jigsaw into a clearer and more coherent picture.

Within the response, AMiE supported a carefully designed modular structure, as long as it helps learners recognise progress without breaking mathematics into disconnected pieces or creating a new set of assessment hurdles. For learners rebuilding confidence, recognition matters, but it must support connected understanding and future progression.

We also argued that the qualification should be shaped around mathematical ideas and practices that help learners move confidently into further study, work and adult life.

As the proposals develop, AMiE will remain part of the conversation, drawing on shared expertise and practitioner advocacy to help shape qualifications that make mathematics accessible, relevant and engaging for all.