An assistant principal has been granted a prestigious chair on the Prime Minister’s expert advisory group to support his ‘Maths to 18’ plan. 

Nelson and Colne College Assistant Principal, Fionnuala Swann will be working alongside other teachers and lecturers after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced it will be compulsory for pupils to learn maths until the age of 18.

The expert advisory group is comprised of mathematicians, college education leaders and business representatives.

Fionnuala Swann said: “I am delighted to have been selected to sit on the expert advisory group and advise the government on how to deliver its plan to extend maths education to 18.  Both the College and I believe passionately in the value of maths and its crucial role to enable young people to progress in their education and future careers.

“As a member of a maths centre for excellence and Ofsted outstanding provider, my focus will be on advising on what the necessary maths knowledge and skills are needed and whether a new qualification is required.”

Fionnuala was asked if she would join the group largely because of Nelson and Colne College’s (NCC) excellent reputation for Maths success with student’s aged 16-18.

The college group were awarded an Outstanding rating at their last OFSTED inspection in March of last year and have also been recognised by the Department for Education as a Centre for Excellence in Maths

Principal and CEO of the Nelson and Colne College Group, Lisa O’Loughlin said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Fionnuala has been appointed to this expert advisory group.

“Her appointment is a testament to her exceptional leadership, her unwavering commitment to mathematics education and her ability to inspire and support our students to achieve remarkable things in this field.”

The group will conduct its work between April and July 2023 with the intention to develop a key strategy for how the British education system can compete, mathematically, with global competitors.

The experts will then meet with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Education in order to discuss their findings.

Other members of the group include the chancellor of the University of Leicester, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE; Executive principal and chief executive officer of Heart of Mercia Multi-Academy Trust, Peter Cooper; chief executive officer of Capital One UK, Lucy-Marie Hagues; Professor of mathematics education at University College London, Professor Jeremy Hodgen; non-executive chairman of Sparx, Simon Lebus;  Group director of assessment research and development at Cambridge University Press and Assessment, Tim Oates CBE; and chief executive officer at Mathematics in Education and Industry, and director of the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics, Charlie Stripp MBE.