16 to 19 funding: advanced maths premium
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-01)

The advanced maths premium is funding for additional students studying an eligible level 3 maths qualification.

About the advanced maths premium

The rate for the advanced maths premium is £900 per year per additional student for one or 2 years, depending on the type and size of qualification studied. We calculate additional students by comparing the number of students enrolled on eligible maths qualifications in the current year with a historic baseline of eligible enrolments. We calculate the advanced maths premium element in the 16 to 19 funding formula (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-how-it-works) after area costs.

The baseline is an average of the advanced maths enrolments recorded between academic year 2019 to 2020 and academic year 2020 to 2021.

Changes for 2025 to 2026 allocations

From 2025 to 2026, we are changing what happens when students are eligible for both the advanced maths premium and the core maths premium.

Previously, we have included students eligible for the core maths premium and removed them from the count for the advanced maths premium.

From 2025 to 2026, we are reversing this so that a student will not attract core maths funding if they are also enrolled on an advanced maths premium eligible qualification (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dcf7f7c487360cc70c9fa5/Eligible_qualifications_AMP_2025_2026_Jan2025.ods) (ODS, 6.03 KB) in the same academic year.

The change will support advanced maths for as many individuals as possible whilst ensuring value for money. It ensures that funding is more accurately directed towards increasing participation in maths education through core maths for students who are not already undertaking other advanced maths qualifications.

2024 to 2025 allocations

In April 2023, we explained that when we updated the data we used to calculate the baseline for academic year 2023 to 2024 allocations, some advanced maths premium allocations changed significantly. We calculated the difference between the 2022 to 2023 allocation and the 2023 to 2024 allocation. We then provided 100% of the funding difference between the 2 for those institutions that lost £20,000 or more.

For academic year 2024 to 2025 only, we continued this financial protection with some changes. We:

compared the 2022 to 2023 advanced maths premium allocation without core maths qualifications with the 2024 to 2025 advanced maths premium allocation (calculated without core maths qualifications)

used the original rate of £600 in the 2022 to 2023 advanced maths premium allocation and the new £900 rate in the 2024 to 2025 allocation

funded 50% of the difference between the adjusted 2022 to 2023 and 2024 to 2025 allocation when the decrease was £20,000 or more

We calculated transitional protection for 2024 to 2025 without core maths qualifications. These do not attract funding from the core maths premium (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-funding-core-maths-premium).

Calculating the premium

Step 1: we calculate a baseline

We calculate a baseline figure using full-year individualised learner record (ILR) (R14 and autumn school census) data to establish the number of students per school, college and other institution studying an eligible level 3 maths qualification in academic years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. We then take an average of the 2 years.

Step 2: we identify the number of students studying level 3 maths in the appropriate comparison year

We establish the number of students studying an eligible level 3 maths qualification in the relevant academic year using the ILR (R04) and autumn census data for that year. For those qualifications that attract the premium for only 1 year, students will only count if they are in their first year on the qualification. For those qualifications that attract the premium for 2 years, we will also count the number of students still studying those qualifications in the second year.

A student cannot attract funding through both the core maths premium (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-funding-core-maths-premium) and the advanced maths premium in a funding year. Therefore, where a student is identified as eligible for both, the student remains in the count of eligible students for the core maths premium and we remove them from the count of eligible students for the advanced maths premium.

Step 3: we calculate the difference between eligible student numbers in the baseline and the comparison year

We then compare the eligible student numbers against the baseline. If there is a net increase, we allocate funding for each additional student. If there are fewer students overall studying level 3 maths qualifications in the academic year, we do not reduce the funding.

For example:
- in the baseline, an institution has 40 students studying A level maths and 5 students studying AS level statistics (45 students total)
- in academic year 2022 to 2023, they have 40 students studying A level maths and 10 students studying AS level statistics (50 students total)
- the number of students studying AS level statistics has increased by 5
- 5 students would attract the premium
You can find further examples below.

The volumes used in the example tables take account of the fact that if an additional student is studying both a maths and further maths qualification in the same academic year, we will fund that student twice in the same year. This is the only combination of qualifications that will attract funding twice in one year.

1. Increase in students studying maths

Maths premium for payment in 2023 to 2024 funding allocation 20 x £900 = £18,000

2. No change in students studying maths

Maths premium for payment in 2023 to 2024 funding allocation 0 x £900 = £0

3. Decrease in students studying maths

Maths premium for payment in 2023 to 2024 funding allocation 0 x £900 = £0

Note: for all 3 examples, figures include students in year 1 or 2 of A levels (and other level 3 maths qualifications of 235 and more guided learning hours (GLH)) and students in year 1 of AS levels (and other level 3 maths qualifications under 235 GLH). Students doing maths and further maths count once in each category.

Paying the premium

We will pay the premium automatically in 16 to 19 funding allocations.

Funding rate

We pay the premium at a rate of £900 per year per additional student for one or 2 years, depending on the size of qualification studied. This is determined by the qualification’s GLH:
- if the GLH are under 235 hours, we pay the premium for one year
- if the GLH are 235 hours or above, we pay the premium for 2 years provided the student is still in learning in the second year of study
- if a qualification has 235 GLH or more, and is studied over one year, we will pay the premium for one year
Funding examples
- we fund a student studying A level maths at the rate of £900 per year for 2 years (attracting a total of £1,800)
- we fund a student studying both A level or AS level maths and further maths qualifications in the same academic year twice in the same year. This is the only combination of qualifications that will attract funding twice in one year
Please see below for further funding scenarios.

Additional student level examples

Note: We will count a student twice in the same year only if studying both A level or AS level maths and further maths qualifications. Qualifications of 235 or more GLH (for example, an A level) count in both years providing the student is still studying the qualification in the second year. Qualifications under 235 GLH will count in one year.

Check who is eligible for the premium

All schools, colleges and other institutions receiving a 16 to 19 allocation and delivering level 3 maths qualifications (described below) will be eligible for the premium. The exception to this is maths schools, which are already required to enter all their students for maths and further maths A level courses.

All full-time and part-time students eligible for 16 to 19 funding (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-how-it-works#summary) can attract the premium provided they:
- have prior attainment equivalent to GCSE grade 9 to 4 in maths
- pass a qualifying period of either 6 weeks for a qualification with a planned length of 24 weeks or more, or 2 weeks for a qualification with a planned length of less than 24 weeks
- are studying an eligible level 3 maths qualification
The advanced maths premium operates in parallel to the high value courses premium (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-high-value-courses-premium) and core maths premium (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-funding-core-maths-premium). Students can only qualify for one of the maths premiums at a time; they can qualify for one of the maths premiums and the high value courses premium in a year.

Eligible qualifications

Please refer to this list which sets out all qualifications eligible for the premium and the GLH.

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dcf7f7c487360cc70c9fa5/Eligible_qualifications_AMP_2025_2026_Jan2025.ods)

advanced maths premium eligible qualification (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dcf7f7c487360cc70c9fa5/Eligible_qualifications_AMP_2025_2026_Jan2025.ods)

ODS, 6.03 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-open-document-formats-odf-in-your-organisation) format

Information for new institutions

New institutions are eligible to attract funding under the advanced maths premium once they have students on eligible maths qualifications recorded in their data returns.

For any new school, college or other institution, including those that do not have student numbers in academic years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021, we will use the national average of students studying qualifications that attract the premium for their type of institution to determine the baseline.

We do this by applying the national average proportion for the relevant institution type to an institution’s total 16 to 19 funded students from the current year.

For example, for an academy that we do not have all the data for to calculate a baseline in the normal way, for academic year 2025 to 2026 we will take 31% of their total 16 to 19 funded students from 2024 to 2025 data returned in the autumn 2024 census.

The national average proportion of 16 to 18 funded students studying level 3 maths for each institution type:

Contact us

If you have questions after reading our guidance, or if there’s anything else you need help with, you can find more support in our customer help centre (https://customerhelp.education.gov.uk/hc/en-gb).