Intent
An ambitious and supportive scheme of work
Our aim is to develop students’ mathematical thinking and communication and with that in mind we have collaboratively developed a five year scheme of work that promotes problem solving, resilience and ensure full curriculum coverage. There is an emphasis on knowledge retrieval and the teaching methods of the department have been developed with mastery and interleaving as key elements. We also believe that students who are successful with number are much more confident mathematicians, so number is emphasised throughout the five year plan. Its implementation is monitored through weekly learning walks and fortnightly CPD sessions.
Inspiring and exciting students
To make learning exciting our interactions with the students get them thinking with Low floor high ceiling anchor tasks that promote a deeper mathematical discussion and understanding. Students receive personalised feedback and independent study is expected through Hegarty Maths. We encourage risk-taking by rewarding process rather than the final outcome.
Students develop a growth mind-set as a result of deeper learning and increased risk-taking. This is a result of prolonged thinking time, careful questioning and variation.
Ensuring a coherent scheme of work that challenges all students
Faculty development time is used to discuss the pedagogy of forthcoming topics. We share different strategies, resources and assessment for learning tools to ensure all teachers know how to set the anchor task and use questioning effectively to achieve the learning goals.
Worded problem-solving questions and real life examples are included at every opportunity. Again, staff share good practice in development time.
At KS5 we have introduced the new level 3 Core maths qualification alongside the traditional A level course for those students who want a more practical maths experience. They are learning about finance, payslips, student loans to name but a few topics.
Reviewing the schemes of work
Faculty development meetings are used to discuss the pitch of lessons for different ability groups. Assessment results inform the subject content and depth of future topics. We adjust the SoW for our individual classes and the year group as a whole accordingly.
Applying the skills students have been taught
All year groups have three formal assessments throughout the year, in the hall in exam conditions. The termly papers help inform planning and any intervention required and the end of year exams help us to personalise summer work for students. By the time students reach Year 11 they have covered the majority of the GCSE course. Year 11 is used for completing the small number of remaining topics before moving onto revision of topics and overarching exam style problems. At the end of Year 10 students are formally assessed using a past exam paper and once in Year 11 they sit exam papers every two weeks in the hall. These are marked and gone through the next lesson so that students get immediate feedback and know what they need to do to improve before the next paper. There are also full papers sat in November and March of Year 11.
Implementation
Embedding Quality Teaching and Learning
Using a range of assessment for learning strategies every lesson including mini-whiteboards, group discussions, manipulatives and paired work to allow increased thinking time when responding to the teacher’s carefully pitched questions.
This is developed through sharing best practice in forthcoming topics during faculty development time. Each member of staff leads discussions for topics they are most expert in. Every member of the department has had intensive training in mastery and we collaborate, sharing ideas and resources to engage pupils.
The use of new manipulatives has encouraged pupils to ‘have a go’ or look at problems differently and some difficult concepts (negative numbers) has become more accessible to all pupils.
Students are encouraged to be competitive in Maths with our Hegarty Maths Leader board, regular individual and team maths challenges and Year 10 maths feast.
Students in the sixth form take part in team challenges as well as team building afternoons using logic and reasoning.
Personalised feedback
All students complete a detailed QLA after each assessment. This informs them and us what topics need to be looked at. This work will either be done independently on Hegarty Maths or, if it is a large number of students, whole class.
A 1-2-1- tutor in Maths, together with a L3 TA will also take targeted students out for small group work and intervention where needed.
Supporting teachers to deliver excellence
Teachers are developed through a process of monitor – support – review.
Our new Lead Practioner in maths is specifically working with teachers on the mastery style of teaching and each teacher is allotted time within the timetable to work with him. Support could be team teaching, team planning or observing each other.
Learning walks and student conversations are used as measure of the learning climate within mathematics. Suggestions from students in the past have informed some strategies used.
Support includes, paired lesson reviews with a teacher and member of SLT, targeting areas to look at and suggestions for improvement.
Opportunities are provided to lead discussions in faculty development meetings.
The impact of the various support strategies is measured through repeated learning walks, teacher discussions and the next set of assessment data.
Impact
Our results are showing an increasing trend over the last few years. Students are able to demonstrate resilience and rise to the challenge of the new GCSE and A level curriculums. Students have been able to secure places at universities because they have studied the new Level 3 qualification.
Students are receiving an engaging, high quality education based in the latest research and teaching methods.
Better questioning and increased thinking time allow students to more fully articulate a reasoned mathematical argument. Teachers are now getting better at challenging students to explain their reasoning to their peers.
Most importantly, students are happier in their mathematics lessons than ever before. Talk to our students ask them.