Taking the maths gCSE early or multiple times damages pupils' education in the subject, experts have warned. as teenagers anxiously await their results, mathematicians condemned the practice and blamed "a target-driven culture" for skewing behaviour in schools.
The comments by the advisory Committee on Mathematics Edu- cation come after exams regulator Ofqual suggested that the importance of gaining at least a C in maths and English fuelled moves towards early and multiple entry.
Tens of thousands of pupils took papers for more than one maths gCSE last summer. The number of pupils sitting key exams before age 16 has soared. it is expected that these strategies will affect this week's gCSE results, with predictions that fewer teenagers will score decent grades in subjects such as maths and science for the second year running.
Ofqual revealed that 15 per cent of candidates sitting gCSEs in Britain and northern ireland were last year submitted for maths exams with more than one board.
Maths is the most popular subject among northern ireland pupils, with about 25,000 entries last year compared to about 22,000 in English. Multiple entries could partly explain the greater number, although the exact scale of the problem in the north is unclear.
"Early and multiple entry for gCSE mathematics damages mathematical learning," committee member Richard Browne said.
"a target-driven culture based on league tables has skewed behaviour in schools and encouraged multiple entry.
"The practice of early entry has a negative effect on most students' mathematical education and hinders their progression to a wide range of subjects post-16 and in higher education."
Repeated resitting and multiple entry, Mr Browne added, reduced the time spent developing student's mathematics skills and knowledge, as well as having significant extra cost for schools. in England post-primary schools must ensure that at least 40 per cent of pupils get five or more Cs at gCSE including English and maths, as well as meet national progress measures. Those that do not meet the threshold, which is reported in performance tables, are considered failing.
There are no official league tables in the north, although various unofficial types exist.
For the first time this year the Department of Education made public data on the proportion of pupils achieving five or more gCSEs including English and maths alongside the statistics that are used to compile tables.
There have been calls for the annual irish news lists to place greater emphasis on English and maths. at present the tables show only the proportion of pupils achieving five or more gCSEs in any subject.
There are concerns that some schools encourage entry into 'softer' subjects to boost achievement.
This year schools' performances in core gCSE subjects of English and maths were used as a tie-breaker. it is likely that from next year the proportion of pupils achieving five or more gCSEs, including English and maths, will determine a school's rank.