Acknowledgements:
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to those who I could not have completed this research project without.
I could not have undertaken this journey without the support of my IP supervisor Karen Nanson who has provided constant guidance and encouragement throughout this project. I thank her in supporting me through this research into a topic I hold close to my heart due to experiences of anxiety and enabling me to create the best research possible. I would also like to express my thanks to Dr Robert Evans without whom the depth of statistical analysis in this project would not be possible.
I am also thankful to my placement school. Without both their students and staff this research could not have taken place and I express my deepest thanks to Linda Pullen for her mentoring supporting me to balance this research with my teaching practice.
I would lastly like to express my appreciation for all of those in my personal life who have supported me. I would like to thank my Mum Mel, Dad James and siblings Emily and Cam for their constant support not only throughout the journey of this dissertation but through the journey of becoming who I am today. My partner George Walton who has been nothing but supportive and cared for me throughout my stresses as well as providing many an inspiring talk to get me to the end of this experience. And finally, I could not end these acknowledgements without recognition of Kayleigh Puttock who has been my closest friend throughout the journey of both this project and university itself as both our study sessions and lunches have allowed me to maintain a balance of work and I could not be without her data handling guidance.
Contents:
1. Literature Review
1.1. Gender Differences
1.2. Links to Maths Ability
1.3. Students Reasons for MA
1.4. The Current Study
2. Methodology
2.1. Participants
2.2. Materials
2.3. Procedure
2.4. Statistical Analyses
2.5. Thematic Analyses
3. Results
3.1. Participant Details
3.2. Gender and Mathematics Anxiety
3.3. Mathematics Ability and Mathematics Anxiety
3.4. Students thoughts on Mathematics Anxiety

Abstract:
Mathematics anxiety (MA) is a negative emotional response towards the subject of mathematics. There has been a shift in focus towards the mental health of students and the best ways to support them within education especially since the pandemic. Governments have imposed compulsory teaching on the topic of mental wellbeing as a topic within the subject of RSHE as well as appointing figures such as Dr Alex George as the UK Government’s Youth Ambassador for Mental Health. Thus, focusing on the anxiety caused by what is considered to be a key subject for students not only brings the issue to light for those in educational power but enables an understanding of its effects on students' wellbeing as well as their educational attainment.
It is the main aim of this research to contribute to the current educational understanding of maths anxiety by finding results that prove or disprove current understandings caused by studies prior. It is also hoped that gaining insight into levels of maths anxiety within a variety of students as well as examining which students are more likely to be at risk from suffering maths anxiety will allow for better preparations to be made and preventative measures to be created in order to minimise or perhaps remove maths anxiety from education thus supporting students in achieving the best mathematical attainment possible to support them in throughout their futures.