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Our work on public understanding

Our goal is for people of all ages to have an understanding of the data and statistics that influence the world around them and to be empowered to meaningfully engage with them.  

This starts in school. Education should equip students with the skills needed for day-to-day life and the world of work, as well as for future studies. 

This page outlines our policy work on public understanding. We focus on: 

  • School curriculum and education policy
  • Supporting teachers 
  • Explainers on specific topics
  • Working with professions to improve understanding. 

We are also beginning work on how to improve public understanding of artificial intelligence (AI). 

Take a look at our resources section for more materials to help you and others  better understand statistics.  

School curriculum and education policy 

The RSS seeks to influence the education curriculum and education policy to improve the quality of the teaching, learning and assessment of statistics and data. 

We have developed a set of recommendations on statistics and data within the UK curriculum. These include: 

  • A stronger emphasis on relevant contexts, exploration of engaging real-world data (including using interactive technology), and the investigative cycle 
  • Non-exam assessment (coursework or projects) should be used to better reflect the practical nature of statistics 
  • Statistics and data education should be joined up across different subjects 
  • The statistics/data GCSE should be refreshed, and students should have the choice to take either two GCSEs (one in maths, and one in statistics/data), or one dual GCSE composed of elements of both. 

This work is driven by our Education and Policy Advisory Group (EPAG). 

Supporting teachers 

The RSS William Guy Lectureship aims to inspire young people about the relevant and interesting applications of statistics and data. Each year, three lecturers are appointed to develop talks around a particular theme for a specific age group. 

We encourage schools to use the recorded short talks as part of their learning resources, and to contact the William Guy Lecturers to arrange live in-person or online sessions. 

Take a look at our list of resources for teachers. 

We also make recommendations on how to improve the recruitment, training and retention of maths, statistics and data teachers. 

This work is driven by our Education and Policy Advisory Group (EPAG). 

Explainers 

We have developed a set of climate change resources on the statistics and data underpinning our understanding of climate change, to help improve public understanding in this area. These focus on topical issues such as the 1.5°C global mean warming target and extreme events. 

This work is driven by our Climate Change and Net Zero Task Force (CCTF). 

Supporting professions 

We have been working to improve the use of statistics within key professions. Our focus, given the recent attention on the Lucy Letby case, has been on the use of statistics in the legal system.  

With the expertise of our Statistics and the Law Section, we have been engaging with organisations across the legal system – including the Ministry of Justice, the Crown Prosecution Service and National Police Chiefs’ Council – to highlight our broad  concern with statistics in the law, as set out in the Section's 2022 report, and to understand where input from the RSS would be most helpful.