October 2010

Improving Secondary Mathematics

Secondary Mathematics Strategic Leads Conference

Jane Jones HMINational Advisor for Mathematics (including numeracy)

Aims

All: to hear the presentation and participate in discussions

Most: to reflect on the priorities and implications

Some: to understand how to act on these reflections.

What does ‘improving secondary mathematics’ mean

your schools?your LA/region?

to you?

Discuss!

Improving secondary mathematics – the inter-relationships

Teaching & learning

Curriculum & qualifications

Leadership & Management

Standards

Improving secondary mathematics – the inter-relationships

Good quality

T&L

Meaningful curriculum

experiences & qualifications

Insightful, rigorous

L&M

Higher standard

s

Mathematics: understanding the score (2008 – report 2009 - booklets)

The fundamental issue for teachers...

… is to develop pupils’ mathematical understanding. ‘Too often, pupils are expected to remember methods,

rules and facts without grasping the underpinning concepts, making connections with earlier learning and other topics, and making sense of the mathematics so that they can use it independently…

‘Pupils rarely investigate open-ended problems which might offer them opportunities to choose which approach to adopt or to reason and generalise.

‘Most lessons do not emphasise mathematical talk enough… pupils struggle to express and develop their thinking.’

Christine Gilbert comment “Too much boring teaching”

Her report contained examples of weak teaching,including lessons focusing on “basic revision of a skill or technique”

This does sound like teachers under pressure to get results to

improve exam scores or risk the wrath of…… OFSTED

Incidentally only 5% of teaching in secondary school was indadequate

Teaching for understanding

Should all pupils be able to carry out long division by the end of KS2?

Condems anxious to alter(influence) calculation algorithms in primaryNew methods would prioritise rote learning as

opposed to teaching for understanding.Proposed changes include teaching

Vertical addition/subtraction to 3 or 4 place numbers

Tables up to 12 in KS1 Long mult and div using standard algorithms

popular in 50’s Addition,subtraction,mult and div of vulgar and

decimal mixed fractions in Y5

A task for you

Write down any three-digit numberMultiply it by 13Multiply that answer by 7And, finally, multiply that answer by 11

What do you notice?Does it always work?Why?

Part B of the report: every child’s mind matters in mathematics

Goes underneath the issues and explores good practice : tests and examinations: what is the score? teachers’ subject knowledge, pedagogic skills and

classroom practice assessment for understanding: the teacher as

detective using and applying mathematics: pupils as

mathematicians pupils’ enjoyment and understanding of mathematics.

2010: what’s the score now?

Findings from recent secondary visits

Some improvement: more teachers are circulating, checking onlearning, using strategies such as mini-whiteboards and askingkey questions

Grade Some key features1 A focus on thinking and understanding, through

students collaborating extensively with each other 2 Students work hard, teachers provide helpful support.

In some/many schools, extra provision is boosting satisfactory progress in lessons

3 Students given clear examples, then many similar questions that do not develop problem-solving skills or understanding of concepts. Lack of differentiation and challenge

Emerging trends in KS4 practice

Grade C GCSE is important: without it, doors close but the heavy emphasis on grade C GCSE is leading to lots of ‘teaching to the test’ starting GCSE in Year 9 focus on C/D – close monitoring, mentoring

often linked with English for the 5A*-C measure use of re-sits stopping mathematics early (usually post C+) some use of two awarding bodies for GCSE readiness for A/AS level? other qualifications

Emerging trends in KS3 practice

Two-year KS3 SoW usually revised – now often contain

problems or functional skills activities – but which pupils do them?

SoW usually based on the mathematical content of the curriculum (Ma2-4) but without explicit development of UAM/key process skills

Nurture groups and competence-based curricula: often taught by non-specialists with responsibility located outside the mathematics department

Some progress/improvements but some significant challenges remain!

Improving the curriculum: what are we finding? Many teachers in a department working hard to help

their pupils do well (in tests and exams) … revision, intervention, mentoring …

Problem solving, investigation, practical activities, ICT – but unevenness in how much each pupil experiences

Rarely is there explicit development of using and applying mathematics/functional skills – usually pupils are expected to acquire them through doing some tasks

Less emphasis on A/A* work, especially algebra (a consequence of modular GCSE/2-tier?)

Little attention given to proof at KS3 and 4.

Improving teaching: what are we finding? Many teachers in a department working well with

(some) colleagues, sharing ideas …. but informally so not all teachers benefit from shared good practice.

A lack of guidance on approaches that underpin conceptual understanding and progression.

Observations by subject/senior managers that focus on what the teacher does rather than gains in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding.

Sometimes, whole-school policies do not support good T&L in mathematics (eg marking and lesson planning)

Development plans that do not always include improving teaching as a strategy for raising standards.

Improving leadership and management: what are we finding? HoDs have more access to professional development

than their colleagues … other teachers receive limited mathematics-specific CPD, and little subject INSET time in schools.

Much emphasis on short-term strategies (eg intervention, revision, booster) and not enough on improving quality first teaching.

Data analysis used to check progress and intervene but not often used strategically to improve provision

Not all HoDs have benefited from good role models of middle L&M. Not all senior leaders model good line management or understand the issues in mathematics. There are not enough good mathematics teachers and subject leaders so we must develop those we have.

2010: hot off the press!

Subject criteria(available for all subjects)

Improving secondary mathematics

Think about practice you have observed recently: a particular lesson the work of a department/subject leader discussion with senior leaders

Consider the criteria. What elements of good/outstanding practice did you

see? What were the weaker areas? What conversations might/did you have to move the

practice forward?Discuss!

The future….. in particular, post March 2011

Improving secondary mathematics:what is available to schools to help them improve?

Improving secondary mathematics

What is available to schools to help them improve? within a school local networks regionally nationally

Ideas for the way forward: over to you!