Pupils leaving primary school with 'maths ability of seven-year-old' Critics said the latest primary school figures showed how Labour had wasted billions of pounds on education spending. A Government source said: "Employers and universities complain about the quality of our children's maths. We have to put right Labour's failure. Former Countdown star Carol Vorderman has called for students to be forced to study maths until they leave school at 18. In a report, she said 22 per cent of pupils aged 16 to 19 are "functionally innumerate" - meaning they have no basic grasp of maths and arithmetic. Education Secretary Michael Gove has made it clear he wants to see a greater focus on traditional subjects in an effort to improve standards. He has also announced plans to open specialist maths schools for the brightest teenagers. A Department for Education spokesman said: "We're reforming GCSEs, A levels and the maths curriculum to make sure our children are prepared for the modern competitive world."