The paper by Reform ‘Beyond Gadgets’ makes claims such as

• how using video tutoring apps instead of one-to-one tutoring could allow 300,000 additional pupils to make ‘significant progress’ at school.
•  how using online tutors to support disadvantaged pupils at school could allow for an additional 30 million hours of tutoring, within the same budget.
• how technology can free up teacher time in disadvantaged schools to spend on more pupils in need.
• how schools could cut the working day by 25 minutes and cut the time teachers spend monitoring homework by 95 per
  cent.
• research shows that artificial intelligence systems can produce better learning outcomes than comparative human methods.

These are bold claims and they come with many suggestions about what needs to be in place in order for this to happen. For example:

“Schools should provide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as they are implementing EdTech. This should include sharing successful as well as failed EdTech approaches in the classroom.” p6

“The Department for Education should identify and engage with ‘Tech Expert’ schools to celebrate their achievements and link them up with schools that are struggling to make effective use of
EdTech to support disadvantaged pupils. It should look to recruit several private-sector providers to help fund these networks.” p6

This is just a starting point for a potentially robust debate.

The Nuffield Foundation’s report How do shortages of maths teachers affect within school allocation of maths teachers to pupils?
states that shortages lead to disadvantaged secondary pupils
having less access to experienced and well-qualified teachers.

Along with this:

• inexperienced teachers or those who do not have a degree in maths, are more likely to teach Year 7 to Year 9 pupils than older year groups
• 19% of KS 3 maths teachers are inexperienced. This early exposure to inexperienced maths teachers risks
  switching pupils off maths at an age when they are forming attitudes to subjects and future choices.

They found that where maths teacher shortages occur, schools have hardly any job applications for vacant posts. Add to this that many  applicants are not suitable and you can see why they frequently have to readvertise. This can lead to schools  making  appointments that are “less than ideal.”

It is suggested that well qualified maths graduates go for better paid jobs in the private sector when the economy is doing comparatively well.