Dame Julia Higgins, who chairs the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education, said all students should study maths until the age of 18.

BBC: Universities 'dumbing down on maths' to fill places

Last month the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (Acme), which has been consulted about the new exams, registered its own concerns that GCSE1 would not provide the proper foundation for further study at A-level.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Education | Advisers sound maths GCSE warning