GCSE Mathematics (Grade 1-9 Specification) DfE English & Maths New Spec

Project

AoC West Midlands Meeting, South Staffordshire College

West Midlands FE Colleges GCSE Mathematics Group 22.03.2016

Original Agenda

(11.03.2016, Warwickshire College, RLSPA)

1. Welcome, Apologies & Introductions 2. Session Objectives

3. The new GCSE specification (and comparison with previous)

4. Challenges for learners and staff 5. Process for devising SoW

6. Next Steps & Future Meetings

Original Delegate List

Reza Ali, Warwickshire College

Holly Bayliss, Warwickshire College Shama Khurana, Warwickshire College

Steve Killigrew, Leicester College Anoop Mankoo, Birmingham Adult Education Service

Steve Pardoe, University of Warwick Dee Patel, Birmingham Metropolitan College

Jagdish Patel, Henley College Coventry David Tapp, Stafford College

William Taylor, South & City College Birmingham Jayne Warman, Association of Colleges

1. The New Specification

1. The New Specification

• The group discussed the key changes to the new GCSE specification.

• We looked the change in assessment and weightings.

• Particular discussion was held over the introduction of the new content at Foundation level and how this would impact assessment, teaching

and importantly learners.

• Current guidance from the examination boards is that we would need an extra hour of teaching.

• We discussed how the new content would alter existing questions.

2. Challenges for New Learners and

Teaching

2.Challenges for New Learners & Teaching

• We discussed how GCSE was delivered currently and how this would change.

• Discussion centred around the impact this would have on our teaching and how it would be possible to cover the content in the current timescales.

• We discussed the impact this would have on success rates and student motivation.

• We talked about the impact that this would have on learners in terms of the unfamiliarity they would have with the new content, length of examination and their resilience.

• We discussed how best to incorporate and embed the material into main college programmes.

• We discussed the impact this would have on other areas within the college- in particular Learning Support.

3. SoW Development & Actions

3. SoW Development & Actions

• We agreed that a new SoW that was generic and could be adapted for FE would be

important and of practical use.

• The SoW would include the appropriate content, assessment, resource bank and resilience for students.

• In the first instance we would produce a skeleton list as a basis with features that would be included in the SoW. This would then be shared out and worked on by groups at

each of the colleges.

• It was agreed that we would meet at appropriate times (once a term) to discuss and plot the way forward.

• The SoW would be shared with Learning Support specialists for input.

• The skeleton would be shared with HoDs in other college areas for effective embedding within their SoW.

• A depository for good quality resources and assessments would be created.

Next Meeting & Further Partcipation

Additional Information

• The volume of subject content has increased and more time is needed to teach it. (We will need to use more innovative methods to teach the new material.) Students will have had limited teaching and understanding from school on new topics.

• The demand of the content is increasing for both Higher and Foundation students. There will be a greater emphasis on problem solving and mathematical reasoning: i.e. more Functional Skills type (application) questions. There will be more marks allocated to these skills which will need to be taught. Students understanding will be examined through their working out. Students will have to read more, comprehend and analyse in the question paper.

Summary of Main Changes

• There will be a grading change of 1 to 9. It is currently unclear as to whether Grade 4 or 5 will be equivalent to Grade C.

• The length of assessment is increasing from 3 to 4.5hours. Students will sit three examination papers, (1 Non Calc, 2 Non Calc, each of equal duration). There will be no distinction between each paper in terms of weighting of problems, topics or difficulty.

• Students will be required to memorise formulae, although some will be given with the questions.

Summary of Main Changes

• For both tiers, there will be new knowledge, skills and understanding that the students will be assessed on in the new GCSE Mathematics (9-1). Note that the Number and Ratio areas form 50% of the examination. There will be a 3% tolerance of the weighting.

GCSE Foundation Composition

Area Weighting Notes Number 25%

Ratio, Proportion & Rates of Change

25% Separated from Number.

Algebra 20% Geometry & Measure 15%

Statistics 15% Less weighting than old spec.

• For both tiers, there will be new knowledge, skills and understanding that the students will be assessed on in the new GCSE Mathematics (9-1). Note that the Number and Ratio areas form 50% of the examination. There will be a 3% tolerance of the weighting.

GCSE Foundation Composition

Area Weighting Notes Number 25%

Ratio, Proportion & Rates of Change

25% Separated from Number.

Algebra 20% Geometry & Measure 15%

Statistics 15% Less weighting than old spec.

• Every strand and element must be assessed in every examination series.

GCSE Foundation Assessment Objectives

AO1- Using and applying

standard techniques Similar to old specification 50% weighting

AO2- Reasoning, interpreting and communicating

mathematically

New AO focus with a greater emphasis on examining the

quality of written communication

25% weighting

AO3- Solving non-routine problems in mathematical and

non-mathematical contexts

New AO focus based on problem solving

25% weighting

GCSE Foundation Topics

This is what we currently teach:

*Two Year Course Squeezed to 36 weeks

Number

Algebra

Shape & Space

Geometry

Statistics

BIDMAS Place Value Rounding,

Estimating, Approx Fractions Decimals

Factors & Multiples Primes, Squares,

Cubes Percentages

Ratio Simple Proportion Scatter Diagrams

Conversion Graphs Correlation & Relationship

Sequences & nth term

Expressions, Equations &

Formulae Substitution Flow Charts

Trial & Improvement Simplify

Expanding Factorising Sequences

Straight Line Graphs Solving Equations

Speed, Distance, Time

Simple metric conversions Pythagoras Theorem

Perimeter & Area simple rectangles,

triangles, parallelograms &

trapeziums Area &

Circumference of Circles

Volume of regular 3D shapes

Angle definitions Angles on straight

and between parallel lines

Angle properties of polygons

Properties of Triangles &

Quadrilaterals Symmetry & tessellation

Constructions Transformations

Two-Way Tables Simple Probability

Mean, Mode, Median

Averages from tables Range

Data Types Data Collection

Bar, Line, Pie Charts

GCSE Foundation Topics

We WILL NOW teach the ADDITIONAL TOPICS:

Index laws: zero and negative powers (numeric and algebraic)

Standard form

Compound interest Direct proportion (numeric and algebraic)

indirect proportion (numeric and algebraic)

Reverse percentages

Expand the product of two linear expressions

Factorise quadratic expressions in the form x2 + bx + c

Trigonometric ratios in 2D right-angled triangles

Plot cubic and reciprocal graphs, recognise quadratic and cubic

graphs

Solve quadratic equations by factorisation

Solve linear/linear simultaneous equations

Fractional scale enlargements in transformations

Lengths of arcs and areas of sectors of circles

Mensuration problems

Density

Identify and interpret roots, intercepts, turning points of

quadratic functions graphically; deduce roots algebraically

Use inequality notation to specify simple error intervals

Tree diagrams new to both tiers

Vectors (except geometric problems/proofs)

Fibonacci type sequences, quadratic sequences, geometric

progressions

Relate ratios to linear functions

Interpret the gradient of a straight line graph as a rate of change

Know the exact values of sinx and cosx for x = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and

90°; know the exact value of tanx for x= 0°, 30°, 45° and 60°

Previously the GCSE was 60% Basic Skills and 40% Content that needs to be Learned…

Pythagoras’ Theorem NEW SYLLABUS

Basic Skills Required Adding, Squares, Square Roots (using a calculator), Rounding to decimal place or/and significant figure.

New Learning Definitions of the Right Angled Triangle and

lengths (and hypotenuse), how to find the longest

and shortest sides

Will require to Learn and apply Trigonometric Relationships to fins

angles

Application: Apply to find lengths of any diagonals and sides of

any practical problem.

Find Angles of elevation and degression

The Exam Paper

• The first assessments are available in May/June 2017 (and November for Post-16 students only).

• Ofqual have not made a decision as to the availability of the legacy examinations. • Assessment time will be 4.5hours. • Each paper will be equally weighted, composed of a range of question types with both

structured and unstructured.

EDEXCEL 1-9; OCR; AQA WJEC/EDUQAS 1-9

Paper 1 Non Cal

33.3% 80marks 1’30”

Paper 2 Calc

33.3% 80marks 1’30”

Paper 3 Calc

33.3% 80marks 1’30”

Paper 1 Non Cal

50% 120marks 2’15”

Paper 2 Calc

50% 120marks 2’15”

STUDENTS NEED TO AIM TO GET EVERY MARK TO ACHIEVE GRADE C.

If they aim for the boundary (70-80%) the statistics show that they

miss the Grade C equivalent.

It is incredibly difficult to predict what topics will turn up, so the students need a good grounding.

Structure of the EXAMINATION PAPER HAS CHANGED ALREADY.

THE QUESTIONS ARE NOT ORDERED IN DIFFICULTY NOW.

Over the last four years the examinations have NOT examined the entire syllabus. Topics that have not turned up in Paper 1 will not

necessarily be examined in Paper 2.

There are less of the 1 to 2 mark ‘straightforward’ type questions and more Functional Skills/Problem Solving type questions.

More WORDS and INFORMATION in the examination. Less

structured/guided questions.

Grade Equivalence

• Grading will be 9-1 overall, with Grades 1 to 5 at Foundation and Grades 4-9 at Higher Tier. Some questions on the papers will be set in context (mathematical and non-mathematical).

• Grades 4 and 5 are denoted as overlap grades between the tiers, as a result common questions will appear in both papers.

• Old Spec: GCSE Foundation Mark Allocation:

50% Questions F/G 25% Questions E 25% Questions C/D

• New Spec: GCSE Foundation 1 – 5 Mark Allocation

50% 50% 1 2 Lower 3 Upper 3 4 5

Approximately equivalent to: G/F E D- D+ C C/B

Bottom 2/3 of C marks

Top 1/3 of C marks;

bottom 1/3 of B marks

• New Spec: GCSE Higher 4 – 9 Mark Allocation

50% 50% 4 5 6 7 8 9

Approximately equivalent to: C C/B B A A/A* A*

Bottom 2/3 of C marks

Top 1/3 C marks;

Bottom 1/3 B marks

Top 2/3 of B marks

Top 1/5 of A/A* marks

4. Challenges for learners and staff

You probably know that….

80% of students can correctly divide 225 by 15.

But only 40% can solve the problem:

If a gardener has 225 bulbs to place equally in 15 flower beds, how many would be in each bed?

More than often the maths is

straightforward.

Many of the students have gaps in their basic skills and are not confident or don’t

understand the problem.

Area Weighting Notes

Number 25%

Ratio, Proportion & Rates of Change

25% Separated from Number.

Algebra 20%

Geometry & Measure 15%

Statistics 15% Less weighting than old spec.

Unit 1: Number 1

14 Sept- 19 Oct (6 Weeks)

Unit 2: Number2 2 Nov – 16 Nov

(3 Weeks)

Unit 3: Statistics1

23 Nov – 7 Dec (3 Weeks)

Unit 4: Number3 14 Dec

(1 Week)

Unit 5: Algebra 1 4 Jan – 25 Jan

(4 Weeks)

Unit 6: Number 4

1 Feb – 8 Feb (2 Weeks)

Unit 7: Statistics2

22 Feb (1 Week)

Unit 8: Shape 1 29 Feb – 7 Mar

(2 Weeks)

Unit 9: Algebra 2 14 Mar

(1 Week)

Unit 10: Shape 2 4 Apr – 25 Apr

(4 Weeks)

6. Next Steps & Future Meetings