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<p>The Department is investing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) education at all levels to ensure people have access to high quality teaching
and can access career opportunities in STEM related sectors. The Department is working
with other Government Departments through the UK Science & Technology Framework
to deliver talent and skills for critical technologies.</p><p>The Department funds
several programmes to encourage young people into STEM, including:</p><ul><li>The
Stimulating Physics Network, which provides support to schools to increase rates of
progression to physics A level.</li><li>An inclusion in schools project to increase
the uptake of A level physics from students in underrepresented groups.</li><li>The
Isaac Physics programme to increase the numbers of students, particularly from typically
underrepresented backgrounds, studying physics in higher education.</li></ul><p>The
Department also supports the STEM ambassadors programme, which inspires young people
from underrepresented backgrounds to engage with STEM subjects. Secondary schools
are also expected to provide pupils with at least one meaningful interaction with
employers per pupil per year, with a focus on STEM employers.</p><p>The Department
is harnessing expertise through the Digital and Computing Skills Education Taskforce
to increase the number of people taking digital and computing qualifications and to
attract a diverse range of individuals into digital jobs. The Department is also investing
over £100 million in the National Centre for Computing Education to improve the teaching
of computing and to increase participation in computer science at GCSE and A level.</p><p>The
National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Maths works with a network of 40
maths hubs to help local schools improve the quality of their teaching. In April,
the Prime Minister announced that every young person will study some form of mathematics
up to the age of 18, and that the Department will expand and extend the work of maths
hubs.</p><p>The Prime Minister also recently announced plans to develop a new baccalaureate-style
qualification called the Advanced British Standard (ABS) for 16 to 19 year-olds, which
will bring together the best of A levels and T Levels into a single qualification,
and ensure students continue with some form of mathematics and English study until
they are 18.</p><p>The Department is making a £600 million downpayment for the ABS,
focused on recruiting and retaining teachers in key STEM and technical shortage subjects,
ensuring better attainment in mathematics and English, and providing better resources
for teachers and pupils. As part of this, it is investing around £100 million a year
to give early career STEM teachers, working in disadvantaged schools and all further
education colleges up to £6,000 tax free annually on top of their pay, and an additional
£60 million over two years to improve mathematics education. This will help to ensure
our young people receive high quality specialist teaching to equip them with the mathematics
and science skills the UK needs.</p><p>The Department also funds the Advanced Mathematics
Support Programme which delivers high quality teacher professional development as
well as focused support and enrichment for students and institutions to improve participation
and provision in level 3 mathematics.</p>
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