Spring Term 2016 Newsletter 6 11 March 2016 Newsletter 6 - 11 March 2016 Many of you visited Wycombe High School in November to observe lessons taught by the teachers from Shanghai. Testing of students across the whole year group showed that those who were taught with a mastery approach had stronger algebraic skills and in those classes the ‘tail’ of the class was significantly reduced. Our year 7 and 8 teachers have re-written our schemes of work to incorporate mastery teaching whilst retaining problem solving and other aspects of maths teaching we do well in England. We are now inviting teachers to join us on the following course to learn more………. Developing Teaching for Mastery in the Secondary classroom We will share the key elements of teaching for mastery and help you plan lessons using these. The course consists of two twilight sessions as follows: Wednesday 20 April 3.30-5.30pm Wednesday 25 May 4.00-5.30pm Between the two sessions there will be an opportunity to visit a lesson(s) at Wycombe High School and a gap task to trial a lesson in your own school. There are a limited number of places on this first course which is being run at no charge for participants. We will allocate up to two places per school and would encourage you to attend as a pair of teachers from the same school if possible. To book a place please e-mail mathscourses@whs.bucks.sch.uk
Primary Teaching Mathematics for Mastery – Text book project Two primary schools in Aylesbury are trialling the ‘Maths - No Problem’ textbooks with their pupils: Weston Turville CE School are welcoming visitors to their Year 1 class to see this project in action. If you would like to visit please contact the school office to arrange a suitable time (normally between 11.10 and 12.00am each day). Please email office@westonturville.bucks.sch.uk or phone 01296 613436 and mention Maths No Problem, Year One. Turnfurlong Infant School are using textbooks in Years 1 and 2. If you would like to visit then please contact Jenny Glen at Turnfurlong Infant School (jglen1@bucksgfl.org.uk) to arrange a mutually convenient date and time.
NCETM (Primary and Secondary) Professional Development Lead Support Programme If you are an SLE, work with maths teachers across different schools, lead a project for the Maths Hub (or would like to be paid to do so in the future) or would like to develop the skills to lead high quality CPD starting in your own school, then this course is a must. The Programme is delivered over two days. There is an interim task and successful completion of the course leads to accreditation as a PD lead by the NCETM. More details can be found at https://www.ncetm.org.uk/resources/39629 Primary Programme - Thursday 26 May and Monday 11 July at The Disraeli School, High Wycombe Secondary Programme - Friday 22 April and Monday 27 June at Wycombe High School, High Wycombe
Whilst this course is free to participants, it is expensive to run and will only run with viable numbers. Sign up this year as it will not necessarily be provided next year. Further details and application forms are available from mathscourses@whs.bucks.sch.uk Join the BBO Maths Hub at http://www.mathshubs.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @BBOMathsHub Maths Hub Lead - Julia Brown at JBrown@whs.bucks.sch.uk Maths Hub Administrator - Victoria Plunket at VPlunket-checkemian@whs.bucks.sch.uk
Page 2
Underground Mathematics - ‘Using the resources effectively in your A level classroom’ MEI are running this FREE two day course at Wycombe High School which introduces teachers to the new Underground Mathematics (CMEP) on-line resources. Day 1: Thursday 14th April 2016 Day 2: Thursday 19th May 2016 Further details can be found at http://www.mei.org.uk/underground-mathematics
Y12 &13 FMSP Intensive Revision Days for Edexcel Core Maths Are your A level students on track to achieve their target grades this summer? These courses have proved very popular over a number of years and are always oversubscribed. Core 1 and Core 3 – Saturday 23 April Core 2 and Core 4 – Saturday 7 May Download flyers and application forms for your students at http://www.furthermaths.org.uk/SE_enrichment Planning good and outstanding maths lessons— Friday 29 April 2016 This day is aimed at secondary NQTs and will focus on a range of issues to consider when planning, to support pupils’ learning. Areas covered will include: choice of examples, main teaching points, questions to ask, range of activities. This is being held at Wycombe high School from 9.30am-3.30pm.
To register for a free place please e-mail mathscourses@whs.bucks.sch.uk Embedding Problem Solving in the KS4 Maths Classroom Monday 25th April Thursday 26th May Wednesday 29th June
2.00 – 5.00pm 2.00 – 5.00pm 2.00 – 5.00pm
Attendance at all three sessions is required
This course is designed to support teachers to embed a problem solving approach in their classroom. Participants will deepen their understanding of what this looks like in practice, how to use a range of resources to develop problem solving skills and how this will also support the development of pupils’ fluency and reasoning skills. Activities used and created will be based on the GCSE curriculum; illustrating both the role of mathematical problem solving and the use of GCSE topics to solve real-life problems. Participants will be given some published resources to use in their own schools. For full details of the course and to sign up for a place (maximum of two per school) please email mathscourses@whs.bucks.sch.uk Y10 Taking Maths Further Day - Tuesday 5th July - High Wycombe Bookings are now open for this event, which aims to enthuse your students about further study in mathematics. Do bring a group - it's lots of fun and they'll learn a huge amount about the potential of mathematics. The event is free, although we ask for a deposit cheque for £100 to confirm your booking so that we can be sure you are coming! This event is led in partnership with the FMSP. Further details and bookings can be made at http://www.furthermaths.org.uk/SE_enrichment Core Maths: Are you 2017 ready? The L3 maths participation measure? Are you delivering Maths at scale? Core Maths is a L3 mathematics course, delivered over one or two years and attracting the same UCAS points as an AS. It is included in the list of courses that make up the 2017 L3 mathematics participation measure for the reported tables in 2017. If you are planning to teach Core Maths from September 2016 the please contact me to arrange a free training session for your Core Mathematics Teachers to get you up to speed. The course can be tailored to fit your institution and can include a session for the Leadership team. Contact Angela Knight, Core Maths Lead, at sumsdiva@gmail.com for further information or to book a training session. Join the BBO Maths Hub at http://www.mathshubs.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @BBOMathsHub Maths Hub Lead - Julia Brown at JBrown@whs.bucks.sch.uk Maths Hub Administrator - Victoria Plunket at VPlunket-checkemian@whs.bucks.sch.uk
Page 2
Ofqual Invitation to Teacher Focus Groups Do you teach GCSE or A level? Tell us about it… We are living in a time of rapid and extensive reform in education in England, and teachers are facing many challenges. The first of the reformed qualifications are now being taught in schools and colleges, and we are currently completing the accreditation of subjects that will be taught from 2016. We want to find out how well prepared teachers feel for teaching the new qualifications.
To do this we are holding a series of teacher seminars. We would like the insight of a representative group of teachers from all types of schools. You can teach any subject and must have at least one years' teaching experience at GCSE or A level. This includes subjects that were reformed for first teaching in September 2015, and subjects that are now or are due to be accredited for first teaching in September 2016 and 2017. The seminars will be held as twilight sessions, London 22nd March 2016: Central London venue TBC (Additional events to follow in the Midlands, Bristol and Kent.) All events will take the form of a facilitated discussion around how you prepare for teaching new GCSEs and A levels, including: how you choose specifications and resources, how important the timing of accreditation is, how far you understand the changes that have been made and how you access support and training. You will have the opportunity to share your opinion on anything that influences how ready you are/were for the new qualifications. You will be needed for no more than two hours and you will be reimbursed for your time and travel with a payment of £80. We will share this information with the Department for Education and Exam boards. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. We are looking for the insights of as broad a range of teachers as possible. Teachers from state comprehensive schools are historically underrepresented so please consider coming along if you teach at such a school. To book a place please email lucy.rimmington@ofqual.gov.uk .
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY Secondary Maths Leaders’ Conference – ‘2017 – Are you ready?’ This all day conference will take place on Thursday 23 June 2016 at The Holiday Inn, High Wycombe. Further details will follow in the next newsletter and you can then start booking places.
Julia Brown Maths Lead, BBO Maths Hub
Please do forward this newsletter to any colleagues who may not be receiving it. They can register with the hub and be kept informed of all our events and opportunities by completing our Registration Form, which can be found by clicking here.
Join the BBO Maths Hub at http://www.mathshubs.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @BBOMathsHub Maths Hub Lead - Julia Brown at JBrown@whs.bucks.sch.uk Maths Hub Administrator - Victoria Plunket at VPlunket-checkemian@whs.bucks.sch.uk