Too many young people in England and Wales (the picture is somewhat different in Scotland and Northern Ireland) do no further work on numbers or data handling after GCSE.

We are amplifying and adding to debate about pathways to statistical literacy for 16-18 year olds, for those taking job training and apprenticeships and those entering higher education.

We are working with examination boards, sector skills councils, teachers and learned societies in examining the content of subjects in which numeracy is becoming increasingly important.

We are joining the work of the Economic and Social Research Council, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the British Academy in increasing the quantitative and methods elements in social science and certain humanities first degrees and, in collaboration with the universities and higher education authorities, examining the possibility of a benchmark in statistical literacy for all first degree students.

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