Mathematics Support - Support for the specialist mathematician and the more able student

In the recent past, measures have been put in place nationally to ensure that all students embarking upon undergraduate programmes with a strong mathematical content have access to resources that will ease their transition into higher education. Universities have taken a variety of steps to ease any problems at the school/higher education interface. Substantial effort is going into initiatives designed to encourage more school students to study mathematics in the post-compulsory sector and to improve the quality and preparedness of those that do. However, evidence recently published refers to some problems emerging in later years, particularly year 2 of single honours mathematics programmes, with disillusionment amongst parts of the cohort and high drop-out rates, at least in some institutions.