Talking Points

I've been talking nearly iii things on Twitter this week: written report leave, calculators in addition to contact time. I postulate to a greater extent than than 140 characters! All opinions are welcome, either through Twitter or inward the comments below.

Study Leave
At my previous schoolhouse all Year xi in addition to Year thirteen students would disappear inward early on May, returning to schoolhouse solely to sit down their exams. It was a girls' grammer schoolhouse - the students were difficult working, driven in addition to independent. They made proficient job of their written report leave, in addition to the teachers made proficient job of gained fourth dimension for projects such system of move development. I directly move at a boys' comprehensive where students are expected to attend schoolhouse throughout the whole bear witness period. This 'no written report leave' approach is fairly common. I intend it raises actually interesting questions nearly how schools tin best back upward students preparing for populace exams. What practice yous think? What's best for students - studying at domicile or at school?

My schoolhouse does Linked Pair GCSE in addition to my Year 11s possess got 1 of their iv maths GCSE exams inward the afternoon, which is unusual. Three hours of maths revision at schoolhouse has been scheduled for the morn of that exam. I'm worried that this volition exhaust my students, maybe to the detriment of their bear witness performance. Five hours of maths inward 1 solar daytime doesn't audio similar a smart idea.

I'd rather they rest at home, simply it's non upward to me. I volition practice my best to practice a relaxing in addition to encouraging environs at school. We'll practice a piffling chip of maths, simply sure non iii hours of intense terminal infinitesimal revision. What would yous do?

Thanks to all who offered ideas on Twitter - let's promise it's a overnice solar daytime in addition to thus I tin bring them exterior inward the sunshine!

Calculators
Last Sun I attended the absolutely bright 'Maths inward the Sticks' CPD result for H5N1 score teachers, organised past times Stuart Price. I've already shared my initial views on the changes to H5N1 level, simply inward that postal service I deliberately didn't cite calculators because I haven't made upward my hear nearly them yet.

I'm non a luddite, I'm non anti-technology, simply I'm afraid I don't acquire excited nearly calculators similar roughly people do. I nonetheless job the same reckoner that I used at schoolhouse in addition to university.

I similar the fact that C1 is currently non-calculator in addition to I volition miss this chemical constituent of H5N1 level. I'm likewise quite fond of statistical tables. I possess got that statistical tables volition eventually decease the means of log tables in addition to slide rules, simply I practice experience a chip deplorable nearly it.

I used to tutor a someone schoolhouse daughter who was struggling alongside H5N1 score maths. One solar daytime she showed me a snazzy novel reckoner that she'd been sold at school. Although she didn't empathise the maths involved, she was real proficient at using the calculator. Clearly her instructor had spent a lot of fourth dimension inward lessons going through the instructions. I was surprised that this reckoner was allowed inward exams because it seemed to orbit her an unfair payoff over students who couldn't afford an expensive calculator.

You could fence that learning how to job this form of applied scientific discipline is a useful skill, simply I'm non convinced it's every bit of import every bit people brand out. I suspect that these skills volition move forgotten inside weeks of the terminate Year 13. Plus applied scientific discipline speedily becomes outdated anyway.

So forgive me for non welcoming the 'use of technology' aspects of the novel H5N1 score alongside opened upward arms. I'm already bored past times it. There are likewise practicalities to consider. And don't fifty-fifty acquire me started on 'large information sets'...

Contact Time
Finally, thank yous to everyone who replied to this tweet:

It was fascinating to come across how much variation at that spot is betwixt schools.

As expected, it seems that larger schools are to a greater extent than probable to possess got a publish of TLRs inward the maths department. But this is non ever the representative - inward roughly large schools the Head of Maths has to practice (or delegate) everything (which is a lot!).

Answers regarding contact fourth dimension were inconsistent, ranging from no extra fourth dimension allocated to four hours per week. It seems that most Key Stage Coordinators are allocated between 1 in addition to 3 extra non-contact periods a fortnight.

The chore description of a Key Stage Coordinator likewise varies a lot - roles may involve running aid clubs in addition to interventions, preparing assessments, task lesson observations in addition to functioning management, analysing data, processing bear witness entries, developing schemes of work, organising competitions summation a plethora of other duties.

Key Stage Coordinator roles are a proficient stepping rock to Head of Maths, in addition to thus sure worth having a decease at. I used to move a Key Stage five Coordinator in addition to actually enjoyed it. I'm non sure I'd practice it if I wasn't allocated whatsoever extra fourth dimension though.

Opinions are most welcome!

Please practice allow me know your thoughts.