Improving Secondary Mathematics

1. Improving Secondary Mathematics Secondary Mathematics Strategic Leads Conference Jane Jones HMI National Advisor for Mathematics (including numeracy) October 2010

2. 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.

3. What does ‘improving secondary mathematics’ mean to you? your schools? your LA/region? Discuss!

4. Improving secondary mathematics – the inter-relationships Teaching & learning Standards Curriculum & qualifications Leadership & Management

5. Improving secondary mathematics – the inter-relationships Good quality T&L Higher standards Meaningful curriculum experiences & qualifications Insightful, rigorous L&M

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

7. 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.’

8. 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

9. Teaching for understanding

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

11. Condems anxious to alter(influence) calculation algorithms in primary New 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

12. A task for you Write down any three-digit number Multiply it by 13 Multiply that answer by 7 And, finally, multiply that answer by 11 What do you notice? Does it always work? Why?

13. 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.

14. 2010: what’s the score now?

15. Findings from recent secondary visits Some improvement: more teachers are circulating, checking on learning, using strategies such as mini-whiteboards and asking key questions

16. 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

17. 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

18. Some progress/improvements but some significant challenges remain!

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 2010: hot off the press!Subject criteria(available for all subjects)

23. 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!

24. The future….. in particular, post March 2011

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

26. Improving secondary mathematics What is available to schools to help them improve? • within a school • local networks • regionally • nationally

27. Ideas for the way forward: over to you!