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OECD(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) study shows that 22 per cent of the teenagers struggled with arithmetic, with a lack of specialist maths teachers blamed for the figures

More than one in five 15-year-olds in the UK are classed as “low performers” in maths according to a new report, with a lack of specialist maths teachers blamed - in part - for the figures.

According to the study, published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK ranks 26 out of 64 countries in mathematics, behind Vietnam, Estonia and Poland, with one in five teenagers failing to reach Level 2 in arithmetic – the level required to participate fully in modern society.

Warnings issued today by Labour’s shadow Education Secretary following the report, suggest that standards are unlikely to improve if the Government’s “failure” to recruit teachers continues.

Highlighting recent figures which revealed that one in five maths lessons are being taken by non-specialist teachers – those without a relevant post A-level qualification - Lucy Powell said that the “Government must do more to recognise this problem”.

“Nothing is doing more damage to maths and English in this country than the Government’s failure to recruit enough good teachers in these subjects,” she said.

“With one-fifth of lessons taught by teachers without relevant post-A level qualifications the Government must do more to recognise this problem and raise standards in the classroom.”