In recent years the teaching of mathematics at all levels has steadily moved up the UK education agenda as fewer students opt to study mathematics after the age of 16 and those involved in the provision of higher education (HE) and the employment of graduates bemoan the lack of quantitative skills possessed by employees and students. This problem is particularly acute among students who need to study mathematics as a supporting subject (for example in engineering or computing) and can be quite critical in health professions where dosage calculations and measurement are critical . The issues regarding the quantitative skills gap among many university entrants and the consequent requirement for some form of mathematics support has been well documented and it seems that potential solutions need to go beyond the simple provision of mathematics support classes as although these can address content deficiencies they will not necessarily help with more fundamental underlying negative beliefs and anxieties that students may have towards mathematics.
