Overall English pupils achieved scores in line with the international average for maths in the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), with the top 10% of pupils' results comparable with those from some high achieving East Asian countries.
The Royal Society and Advisory Committee on Mathematics (Acme), which have both raised concerns about maths standards and made similar recommendations, welcomed the report.
The authors say that rather than making the qualification compulsory the challenge is to provide a "clear and attractive alternative" for students who achieve good grades in GCSE maths but do not currently go on to study AS or A-level mathematics.
He explores the interface between maths and physics, concluding that mathematicians view string theory as physics and physicists regard it as mathematics.