Bridging The Gap To A Level

At 7pm on Tuesday seventh Oct I'm hosting a Twitter chat on the topic of bridging the gap from GCSE to AS level. Please bring together inwards using #mathscpdchat. If yous haven't participated inwards a Twitter chat before, this guide explains what it's all about. I recommend yous laid up TweetDeck in advance thus yous tin proceed rail of the conversation.

In grooming for this chat, this ship service outlines some of the issues that I desire to discuss. First I'll facial expression at why there's a gap, thus I'll facial expression at some possible strategies for bridging it. I'm actually keen to hear others' ideas on Tuesday.

1. Why is at that spot a gap?

A. The work amongst GCSE grades
Most schools require that students acquire a degree B at GCSE to produce maths at H5N1 level. This yr your AS aeroplane classes volition comprise a mix of students who got anything from 48% to 100% inwards their maths GCSE. This lower jump mightiness surprise you. Yes, students tin get less than half of the answers correct together with yet acquire a B. That agency a educatee tin embark on H5N1 aeroplane maths amongst absolutely no agreement of algebra, or no thought how to add together 2 fractions without a calculator.

Students are oft 'taught to the test' thus direct keep picayune conceptual agreement - they tin acquire a decent GCSE degree past times learning some tricks together with doing lots of exercise questions. Around 15% of students who attain a B inwards their maths GCSE become onto to bring maths at H5N1 level. The graph below, taken from this 2012 report, shows that of those students who got a B inwards their GCSE, alone 20% achieved A* - B at H5N1 level. The bulk got a degree D, E or U. Were those students given the incorrect advice well-nigh their post-16 options? And why did they non driblet maths at the terminate of Year 12? Bear inwards hear that having got a B at GCSE, they would direct keep expected to attain at to the lowest degree a B at H5N1 level, thus these students may direct keep been bitterly disappointed amongst their results.

Maths GCSE also doesn't produce plenty to differentiate at the transcend end. Around 5% of students nationally acquire an A* at GCSE. These students arrive at from those who are incredibly intelligent to those who were well-taught together with hard-working. This volition alter - the novel 'A**' degree (Grade 9) volition endure awarded to the transcend 3%. When the novel grades come upwardly into play from 2017 onwards, I promise to come across schools setting a minimum requirement of Grade vii to produce maths at AS aeroplane (Grades 7, 8 or nine volition endure equivalent to today's A* together with A). Am I beingness elitist? The novel core maths qualification volition endure suitable for others.

The work is that GCSE grades currently produce non give us a clear indication of who is suitable for H5N1 aeroplane maths together with who isn't. I've taught many students who got an H5N1 or A* at GCSE but went on to acquire a D, E or fifty-fifty a U at AS level. Why did they of a abrupt halt beingness 'really good' at maths?

Last yr I introduced an entrance essay inwards Year 12 - to a greater extent than on this here. It revealed shocking gaps inwards basic skills together with knowledge. Students who got an A* at GCSE could non produce long multiplication! I recommend that all schools produce an entrance essay for 2 reasons:
1. To position weaker students together with intervene amongst extra back upwardly from the start.
2. To create produce expectations - students who got a skillful degree at GCSE volition endure surprised if they acquire a depression grade inwards a basic skills test. They'll realise that they can't coast through the course of instruction together with volition endure motivated to piece of work hard.

Is at that spot a instance for setting at H5N1 level? I know some schools that give a maths essay at the start of Year 12 together with thus set students into sets.

B. The work amongst GCSE content
I did some analysis of the marks available on final year's higher Edexcel GCSE papers. This is what I found:

• Approximately 40% of the questions tested skills that are absolutely essential for AS marrow maths eg fractions, algebra, arithmetic, Pythagoras
• Approximately 35% of the questions tested marrow maths skills that are taught ane time to a greater extent than at AS aeroplane eg surds, indices, trigonometry, simultaneous equations, inequalities, quadratics together with coordinate geometry. 
• Approximately 25% of the questions tested applied topics (eg statistics) or topics that don't come upwardly up at H5N1 aeroplane (eg loci, transformations).

H5N1 educatee tin easily acquire a degree B amongst rattling few marrow skills.

I wonder if schools that direct keep embedded a mastery curriculum from a immature historic menstruum direct keep managed to eliminate the work of Year xi students lacking marrow skills.

Upcoming reforms volition aid to address the electrical flow problems amongst GCSEs. Until they are implemented, what tin nosotros produce amongst our Year 11s to improve laid upwardly them for H5N1 level?

There are extra qualifications to reckon - the Certificate inwards Further Maths has some peachy content similar matrices together with functions. Additional Mathematics is a challenging course, especially suitable for students looking to bring Further Maths at H5N1 level. Regardless of whether your transcend students are taking these extra qualifications, produce yous facial expression at interesting, non-curricular mathematics amongst them inwards Year 11?

At H5N1 level, students oft fighting amongst the alter inwards the way questions are worded. Perhaps nosotros should start looking at these kinds of questions earlier. For example, the interrogation below is from a C1 newspaper but would endure suitable for a GCSE student.

C1 Edexcel May 2013

2. Strategies for bridging the gap
So let's merely bring our electrical flow predicament - students commence their H5N1 aeroplane maths course of instruction totally unprepared. What tin nosotros produce to back upwardly them? Here's a few ideas together with questions.

A. Bridging resources
summer work to do. They also recommend resources that students tin usage over summertime to fill upwardly inwards whatever cognition gaps - hither are a few examples:

• Head Start to AS Maths (CGP)
• Collins Maths - Bridging GCSE together with H5N1 level: Student Book
• CIMT Step-Up to H5N1 Level Maths
• Introduction to H5N1 Level Maths - Maidstone Grammar

In my experience, urging students to produce piece of work during the summertime preceding Year 12 isn't especially effective because students merely don't come across the necessity. I've considered running a 'summer bridge' or transition course of instruction inwards the calendar week before term starts. I'd endure interested to hear from teachers who produce this.

B. Intervention
At my schoolhouse nosotros run compulsory remedial sessions inwards the Autumn term for students who don't produce good inwards their entrance test. We also offering an optional weekly Help Club to all students all yr round. When I was Key Stage v Coordinator I offered additional back upwardly through a student blog. What does your schoolhouse produce to back upwardly students who are struggling?

C. Course structure
Does your schoolhouse offering students flexibility over modules? Which applied modules piece of work best? We notice that M1 is also hard for many of our Year 12s (except those taking Physics) thus is best tackled inwards Year 13. The planned changes to H5N1 aeroplane maths volition standardise the course, removing the chemical constituent of choice.

How many hours a calendar week should students pass inwards lessons together with doing homework? When my H5N1 aeroplane teaching hours were cutting from 4.5 to 4 hours a calendar week due to budgetary constraints, my students suffered.

How large are your classes? At my schoolhouse nosotros currently direct keep eighteen - xx students per H5N1 aeroplane class. I've heard of schools amongst fifty-fifty bigger classes. At H5N1 aeroplane I shout upwardly 10 - 12 students per degree is far to a greater extent than effective.

D. Delivery
How produce yous organise the delivery of the course of instruction content? Do 6th shape classes direct keep to a greater extent than than ane teacher? What fellowship produce yous tackle the modules in?

At the start of Year 12, how much fourth dimension produce yous pass re-teaching GCSE topics such equally algebra, surds, indices together with quadratics?

Do yous direct keep whatever item strategies for teaching H5N1 aeroplane lessons? Any item resources?

E. Effort
How produce yous encourage students to piece of work hard? Do they produce equally much exercise equally they need to? At my schoolhouse nosotros laid out our expectations together with outline the back upwardly available inwards a student handbook.

My students are given Alps estimates equally targets to piece of work towards, but these are based purely on GCSE grades together with inwards my persuasion (partly for reasons outlined above), they are meaningless without instructor input.

Target setting (source: FFT)

Summary
I've made an infographic to summarise my thoughts together with questions well-nigh the path to H5N1 level. On Tuesday I desire to focus on 2 primal questions:

1. What structures should nosotros direct keep inwards position at Key Stage 4 to aid our students laid upwardly for H5N1 level?

2. What back upwardly tin nosotros offering during Year 12 to ensure students hitting the terra firma running together with don't autumn behind?

I facial expression frontward to hearing your ideas. If yous can't participate inwards Tuesday's chat thus delight part your ideas inwards the comments subdivision below.

_________________________________________________________

Update: 6/10/14

• @srcav shared his thoughts inwards response to my ship service inwards 'A Level Ready?'. 
• @Just_Maths shared 'KS4 to KS5 Transition', which she wrote final year. 
• @DrBennison wrote 'Thoughts on H5N1 Level Mathematics together with Making the Transition'.
• @nik_d_maths shared 'Why One Hundred Percent is Important' well-nigh early on testing inwards Year 12

All 4 posts comprise lots of skillful ideas together with insightful reflections.

Thanks also to @paulsuvs for pointing me inwards the direction of these National Transition Matrices which supply interesting information well-nigh the grades achieved at AS level. 

Bridging The Gap To A Level

At 7pm on Tuesday seventh Oct I'm hosting a Twitter chat on the topic of bridging the gap from GCSE to AS level. Please bring together inwards using #mathscpdchat. If yous haven't participated inwards a Twitter chat before, this guide explains what it's all about. I recommend yous laid up TweetDeck in advance thus yous tin proceed rail of the conversation.

In grooming for this chat, this ship service outlines some of the issues that I desire to discuss. First I'll facial expression at why there's a gap, thus I'll facial expression at some possible strategies for bridging it. I'm actually keen to hear others' ideas on Tuesday.

1. Why is at that spot a gap?

A. The work amongst GCSE grades
Most schools require that students acquire a degree B at GCSE to produce maths at H5N1 level. This yr your AS aeroplane classes volition comprise a mix of students who got anything from 48% to 100% inwards their maths GCSE. This lower jump mightiness surprise you. Yes, students tin get less than half of the answers correct together with yet acquire a B. That agency a educatee tin embark on H5N1 aeroplane maths amongst absolutely no agreement of algebra, or no thought how to add together 2 fractions without a calculator.

Students are oft 'taught to the test' thus direct keep picayune conceptual agreement - they tin acquire a decent GCSE degree past times learning some tricks together with doing lots of exercise questions. Around 15% of students who attain a B inwards their maths GCSE become onto to bring maths at H5N1 level. The graph below, taken from this 2012 report, shows that of those students who got a B inwards their GCSE, alone 20% achieved A* - B at H5N1 level. The bulk got a degree D, E or U. Were those students given the incorrect advice well-nigh their post-16 options? And why did they non driblet maths at the terminate of Year 12? Bear inwards hear that having got a B at GCSE, they would direct keep expected to attain at to the lowest degree a B at H5N1 level, thus these students may direct keep been bitterly disappointed amongst their results.

Maths GCSE also doesn't produce plenty to differentiate at the transcend end. Around 5% of students nationally acquire an A* at GCSE. These students arrive at from those who are incredibly intelligent to those who were well-taught together with hard-working. This volition alter - the novel 'A**' degree (Grade 9) volition endure awarded to the transcend 3%. When the novel grades come upwardly into play from 2017 onwards, I promise to come across schools setting a minimum requirement of Grade vii to produce maths at AS aeroplane (Grades 7, 8 or nine volition endure equivalent to today's A* together with A). Am I beingness elitist? The novel core maths qualification volition endure suitable for others.

The work is that GCSE grades currently produce non give us a clear indication of who is suitable for H5N1 aeroplane maths together with who isn't. I've taught many students who got an H5N1 or A* at GCSE but went on to acquire a D, E or fifty-fifty a U at AS level. Why did they of a abrupt halt beingness 'really good' at maths?

Last yr I introduced an entrance essay inwards Year 12 - to a greater extent than on this here. It revealed shocking gaps inwards basic skills together with knowledge. Students who got an A* at GCSE could non produce long multiplication! I recommend that all schools produce an entrance essay for 2 reasons:
1. To position weaker students together with intervene amongst extra back upwardly from the start.
2. To create produce expectations - students who got a skillful degree at GCSE volition endure surprised if they acquire a depression grade inwards a basic skills test. They'll realise that they can't coast through the course of instruction together with volition endure motivated to piece of work hard.

Is at that spot a instance for setting at H5N1 level? I know some schools that give a maths essay at the start of Year 12 together with thus set students into sets.

B. The work amongst GCSE content
I did some analysis of the marks available on final year's higher Edexcel GCSE papers. This is what I found:

• Approximately 40% of the questions tested skills that are absolutely essential for AS marrow maths eg fractions, algebra, arithmetic, Pythagoras
• Approximately 35% of the questions tested marrow maths skills that are taught ane time to a greater extent than at AS aeroplane eg surds, indices, trigonometry, simultaneous equations, inequalities, quadratics together with coordinate geometry. 
• Approximately 25% of the questions tested applied topics (eg statistics) or topics that don't come upwardly up at H5N1 aeroplane (eg loci, transformations).

H5N1 educatee tin easily acquire a degree B amongst rattling few marrow skills.

I wonder if schools that direct keep embedded a mastery curriculum from a immature historic menstruum direct keep managed to eliminate the work of Year xi students lacking marrow skills.

Upcoming reforms volition aid to address the electrical flow problems amongst GCSEs. Until they are implemented, what tin nosotros produce amongst our Year 11s to improve laid upwardly them for H5N1 level?

There are extra qualifications to reckon - the Certificate inwards Further Maths has some peachy content similar matrices together with functions. Additional Mathematics is a challenging course, especially suitable for students looking to bring Further Maths at H5N1 level. Regardless of whether your transcend students are taking these extra qualifications, produce yous facial expression at interesting, non-curricular mathematics amongst them inwards Year 11?

At H5N1 level, students oft fighting amongst the alter inwards the way questions are worded. Perhaps nosotros should start looking at these kinds of questions earlier. For example, the interrogation below is from a C1 newspaper but would endure suitable for a GCSE student.

C1 Edexcel May 2013

2. Strategies for bridging the gap
So let's merely bring our electrical flow predicament - students commence their H5N1 aeroplane maths course of instruction totally unprepared. What tin nosotros produce to back upwardly them? Here's a few ideas together with questions.

A. Bridging resources
summer work to do. They also recommend resources that students tin usage over summertime to fill upwardly inwards whatever cognition gaps - hither are a few examples:

• Head Start to AS Maths (CGP)
• Collins Maths - Bridging GCSE together with H5N1 level: Student Book
• CIMT Step-Up to H5N1 Level Maths
• Introduction to H5N1 Level Maths - Maidstone Grammar

In my experience, urging students to produce piece of work during the summertime preceding Year 12 isn't especially effective because students merely don't come across the necessity. I've considered running a 'summer bridge' or transition course of instruction inwards the calendar week before term starts. I'd endure interested to hear from teachers who produce this.

B. Intervention
At my schoolhouse nosotros run compulsory remedial sessions inwards the Autumn term for students who don't produce good inwards their entrance test. We also offering an optional weekly Help Club to all students all yr round. When I was Key Stage v Coordinator I offered additional back upwardly through a student blog. What does your schoolhouse produce to back upwardly students who are struggling?

C. Course structure
Does your schoolhouse offering students flexibility over modules? Which applied modules piece of work best? We notice that M1 is also hard for many of our Year 12s (except those taking Physics) thus is best tackled inwards Year 13. The planned changes to H5N1 aeroplane maths volition standardise the course, removing the chemical constituent of choice.

How many hours a calendar week should students pass inwards lessons together with doing homework? When my H5N1 aeroplane teaching hours were cutting from 4.5 to 4 hours a calendar week due to budgetary constraints, my students suffered.

How large are your classes? At my schoolhouse nosotros currently direct keep eighteen - xx students per H5N1 aeroplane class. I've heard of schools amongst fifty-fifty bigger classes. At H5N1 aeroplane I shout upwardly 10 - 12 students per degree is far to a greater extent than effective.

D. Delivery
How produce yous organise the delivery of the course of instruction content? Do 6th shape classes direct keep to a greater extent than than ane teacher? What fellowship produce yous tackle the modules in?

At the start of Year 12, how much fourth dimension produce yous pass re-teaching GCSE topics such equally algebra, surds, indices together with quadratics?

Do yous direct keep whatever item strategies for teaching H5N1 aeroplane lessons? Any item resources?

E. Effort
How produce yous encourage students to piece of work hard? Do they produce equally much exercise equally they need to? At my schoolhouse nosotros laid out our expectations together with outline the back upwardly available inwards a student handbook.

My students are given Alps estimates equally targets to piece of work towards, but these are based purely on GCSE grades together with inwards my persuasion (partly for reasons outlined above), they are meaningless without instructor input.

Target setting (source: FFT)

Summary
I've made an infographic to summarise my thoughts together with questions well-nigh the path to H5N1 level. On Tuesday I desire to focus on 2 primal questions:

1. What structures should nosotros direct keep inwards position at Key Stage 4 to aid our students laid upwardly for H5N1 level?

2. What back upwardly tin nosotros offering during Year 12 to ensure students hitting the terra firma running together with don't autumn behind?

I facial expression frontward to hearing your ideas. If yous can't participate inwards Tuesday's chat thus delight part your ideas inwards the comments subdivision below.

_________________________________________________________

Update: 6/10/14

• @srcav shared his thoughts inwards response to my ship service inwards 'A Level Ready?'. 
• @Just_Maths shared 'KS4 to KS5 Transition', which she wrote final year. 
• @DrBennison wrote 'Thoughts on H5N1 Level Mathematics together with Making the Transition'.
• @nik_d_maths shared 'Why One Hundred Percent is Important' well-nigh early on testing inwards Year 12

All 4 posts comprise lots of skillful ideas together with insightful reflections.

Thanks also to @paulsuvs for pointing me inwards the direction of these National Transition Matrices which supply interesting information well-nigh the grades achieved at AS level. 

Bridging The Gap... Revisited

Bridging the Gap to H5N1 Level'. The concerns in addition to ideas I shared inwards that post service are really much on my heed this summer, every bit nosotros approach the start of the novel linear H5N1 level.

Experienced H5N1 degree teachers know that every yr at that topographic point are many students who notice the transition from GCSE to H5N1 degree really challenging indeed. It's heartbreaking when a hardworking educatee struggles amongst H5N1 degree maths because they convey gaps inwards their underlying knowledge. I'm ever wondering if there's anything nosotros could produce differently inwards the commencement few weeks of Year 12.

Will the novel GCSE help?
I don't retrieve that GCSE 9-1 has done much to lessen the gap betwixt GCSE in addition to H5N1 level. I previously thought that all the extra maths lessons would brand a big difference. But the extra fourth dimension inwards the classroom has non been spent improving fluency inwards algebra in addition to tackling primal misconceptions - instead nosotros convey had to pass the extra fourth dimension educational activity all the novel topics that were added to GCSE - quadratic sequences, functions, iteration, Venns, frequency trees in addition to then on.

Perhaps I should hold off until later on GCSE results solar daytime to nation this, but I convey a feeling that a educatee volition live on able to acquire a Grade half dozen amongst pretty misfortunate algebra skills. At my school, the entry criteria for H5N1 degree maths is a Grade 6.

If you're wondering how on public it's possible to acquire a Grade half dozen amongst misfortunate algebra skills, I'll explain... There's a actually broad hit of topics inwards maths GCSE. H5N1 educatee mightiness convey memorised how to notice a hateful from grouped data. They mightiness convey memorised index laws. They mightiness live on practiced at Pythagoras, probability trees in addition to scatter graphs. They mightiness alternative upwards a lot of marks on best purchase questions...  But at the same fourth dimension every bit picking upwards marks inwards all these random topics, they could write a charge of algebraic nonsense inwards their exam. They mightiness brand primal algebraic errors when expanding brackets, or solving a elementary equation, in addition to it's yet possible to acquire a decent grade - perchance a Grade 6.

These students mightiness pick out to produce maths at H5N1 level, fifty-fifty though their algebra skills are such that they volition acquire totally lost inwards the really commencement lessons of Year 12. We ask to assist these students grab upwards from solar daytime one.

Previous attempts
The Bridging The Gap Test that my schoolhouse used inwards September 2016 was an hr long in addition to tested a broad hit of GCSE topics including algebraic fractions, linear graphs, surds in addition to solving quadratic equations. The average examine score was 79% for 95 students, amongst marks ranging from 50% to 100%.

The correlation betwixt the September Bridging the Gap Test scores in addition to Feb C1 Mock scores was positive, but it wasn't especially strong. This either tells us that our early on intervention was somewhat effective (there were students who did badly inwards the Bridging The Gap Test but did fairly good inwards the C1 Mock), or it tells us that the Bridging the Gap Test results were non a practiced predictor of hereafter performance.

It's actually difficult to assess whether intervention is effective. In fact it's difficult to assess whether anything inwards educational activity is effective. One of my Year 12s yet couldn't expand double brackets a calendar week earlier his AS exams. I minor fry y'all not. It's crazy that I'd been educational activity him calculus when he didn't convey Year 8 algebra skills. I wonder what nosotros could convey done differently for him, in addition to others similar him.

A novel entry assessment
I've written a new entry assessment that hopefully pinpoints exactly where the gaps lie, to let for highly targeted intervention. You tin flame download it from TES here. This examine is:

• short (because nosotros are really pressed for fourth dimension inwards Year 12 adjacent year)
• print-budget friendly (only i side of A4)
• very quick in addition to tardily to mark 
• highly specific 

This xv infinitesimal examine is intended to live on issued inwards the commencement maths lessons of the year. Its purpose is to position the students who ask immediate intervention, in addition to to position which specific skills they ask to live on taught inwards gild to access the basics of H5N1 degree maths. 

This examine is non intended to challenge the brightest students at all. To them it's only a quick in addition to elementary refresher. The content of the assessment is straightforward, inwards fact it's to a greater extent than frequently than non Key Stage three stuff. This shouldn't live on necessary, but it is. I don't desire to patronise my novel H5N1 degree students then I volition emphasise the expectation that every educatee should acquire total marks. Students amongst a Grade half dozen or higher inwards their maths GCSE should easily live on able to score 100% on this test, shouldn't they...? Hmm, nosotros shall see.

If you're looking for a longer or to a greater extent than challenging baseline assessment for H5N1 level, Edexcel has a i hr assessment here. They convey i for Further Maths classes also - this is a neat agency of assessing suitability for Further Maths.

A novel approach to intervention

Testing in addition to intervention needs to live on immediate, allowing a educatee to alter course of report if required. If a educatee decides to alternative approximately other dependent land instead of maths, they must produce then inwards the commencement few days of Year 12 then they don't autumn behind inwards their novel subject. Some schools acquire out testing in addition to intervention until the 3rd calendar week of term. I retrieve that's also late.

Using the entry assessment to select students for compulsory attendance, I volition run 5 split upwards intervention sessions inside the commencement 2 weeks of Year 12. These volition live on on simplifying, expanding, factorising, solving in addition to number (basic roots in addition to indices, negatives, in addition to the gild of operations). The sessions volition involve specific teaching, practise in addition to a homework describe on Hegarty Maths.

Once the initial 2 calendar week intervention catamenia is over, we'll run the park later on schoolhouse assist clinics all yr round. The query is, how produce nosotros effectively back upwards those students who actually combat throughout the 2 yr course? How produce nosotros avoid the Us? How produce nosotros encourage the correct piece of job ethic? I'd honey to listen what your schoolhouse is planning to do.

Bridging The Gap... Revisited

Bridging the Gap to H5N1 Level'. The concerns in addition to ideas I shared inwards that post service are really much on my heed this summer, every bit nosotros approach the start of the novel linear H5N1 level.

Experienced H5N1 degree teachers know that every yr at that topographic point are many students who notice the transition from GCSE to H5N1 degree really challenging indeed. It's heartbreaking when a hardworking educatee struggles amongst H5N1 degree maths because they convey gaps inwards their underlying knowledge. I'm ever wondering if there's anything nosotros could produce differently inwards the commencement few weeks of Year 12.

Will the novel GCSE help?
I don't retrieve that GCSE 9-1 has done much to lessen the gap betwixt GCSE in addition to H5N1 level. I previously thought that all the extra maths lessons would brand a big difference. But the extra fourth dimension inwards the classroom has non been spent improving fluency inwards algebra in addition to tackling primal misconceptions - instead nosotros convey had to pass the extra fourth dimension educational activity all the novel topics that were added to GCSE - quadratic sequences, functions, iteration, Venns, frequency trees in addition to then on.

Perhaps I should hold off until later on GCSE results solar daytime to nation this, but I convey a feeling that a educatee volition live on able to acquire a Grade half dozen amongst pretty misfortunate algebra skills. At my school, the entry criteria for H5N1 degree maths is a Grade 6.

If you're wondering how on public it's possible to acquire a Grade half dozen amongst misfortunate algebra skills, I'll explain... There's a actually broad hit of topics inwards maths GCSE. H5N1 educatee mightiness convey memorised how to notice a hateful from grouped data. They mightiness convey memorised index laws. They mightiness live on practiced at Pythagoras, probability trees in addition to scatter graphs. They mightiness alternative upwards a lot of marks on best purchase questions...  But at the same fourth dimension every bit picking upwards marks inwards all these random topics, they could write a charge of algebraic nonsense inwards their exam. They mightiness brand primal algebraic errors when expanding brackets, or solving a elementary equation, in addition to it's yet possible to acquire a decent grade - perchance a Grade 6.

These students mightiness pick out to produce maths at H5N1 level, fifty-fifty though their algebra skills are such that they volition acquire totally lost inwards the really commencement lessons of Year 12. We ask to assist these students grab upwards from solar daytime one.

Previous attempts
The Bridging The Gap Test that my schoolhouse used inwards September 2016 was an hr long in addition to tested a broad hit of GCSE topics including algebraic fractions, linear graphs, surds in addition to solving quadratic equations. The average examine score was 79% for 95 students, amongst marks ranging from 50% to 100%.

The correlation betwixt the September Bridging the Gap Test scores in addition to Feb C1 Mock scores was positive, but it wasn't especially strong. This either tells us that our early on intervention was somewhat effective (there were students who did badly inwards the Bridging The Gap Test but did fairly good inwards the C1 Mock), or it tells us that the Bridging the Gap Test results were non a practiced predictor of hereafter performance.

It's actually difficult to assess whether intervention is effective. In fact it's difficult to assess whether anything inwards educational activity is effective. One of my Year 12s yet couldn't expand double brackets a calendar week earlier his AS exams. I minor fry y'all not. It's crazy that I'd been educational activity him calculus when he didn't convey Year 8 algebra skills. I wonder what nosotros could convey done differently for him, in addition to others similar him.

A novel entry assessment
I've written a new entry assessment that hopefully pinpoints exactly where the gaps lie, to let for highly targeted intervention. You tin flame download it from TES here. This examine is:

• short (because nosotros are really pressed for fourth dimension inwards Year 12 adjacent year)
• print-budget friendly (only i side of A4)
• very quick in addition to tardily to mark 
• highly specific 

This xv infinitesimal examine is intended to live on issued inwards the commencement maths lessons of the year. Its purpose is to position the students who ask immediate intervention, in addition to to position which specific skills they ask to live on taught inwards gild to access the basics of H5N1 degree maths. 

This examine is non intended to challenge the brightest students at all. To them it's only a quick in addition to elementary refresher. The content of the assessment is straightforward, inwards fact it's to a greater extent than frequently than non Key Stage three stuff. This shouldn't live on necessary, but it is. I don't desire to patronise my novel H5N1 degree students then I volition emphasise the expectation that every educatee should acquire total marks. Students amongst a Grade half dozen or higher inwards their maths GCSE should easily live on able to score 100% on this test, shouldn't they...? Hmm, nosotros shall see.

If you're looking for a longer or to a greater extent than challenging baseline assessment for H5N1 level, Edexcel has a i hr assessment here. They convey i for Further Maths classes also - this is a neat agency of assessing suitability for Further Maths.

A novel approach to intervention

Testing in addition to intervention needs to live on immediate, allowing a educatee to alter course of report if required. If a educatee decides to alternative approximately other dependent land instead of maths, they must produce then inwards the commencement few days of Year 12 then they don't autumn behind inwards their novel subject. Some schools acquire out testing in addition to intervention until the 3rd calendar week of term. I retrieve that's also late.

Using the entry assessment to select students for compulsory attendance, I volition run 5 split upwards intervention sessions inside the commencement 2 weeks of Year 12. These volition live on on simplifying, expanding, factorising, solving in addition to number (basic roots in addition to indices, negatives, in addition to the gild of operations). The sessions volition involve specific teaching, practise in addition to a homework describe on Hegarty Maths.

Once the initial 2 calendar week intervention catamenia is over, we'll run the park later on schoolhouse assist clinics all yr round. The query is, how produce nosotros effectively back upwards those students who actually combat throughout the 2 yr course? How produce nosotros avoid the Us? How produce nosotros encourage the correct piece of job ethic? I'd honey to listen what your schoolhouse is planning to do.

Bridging The Gap... Revisited

Bridging the Gap to H5N1 Level'. The concerns in addition to ideas I shared inwards that post service are really much on my heed this summer, every bit nosotros approach the start of the novel linear H5N1 level.

Experienced H5N1 degree teachers know that every yr at that topographic point are many students who notice the transition from GCSE to H5N1 degree really challenging indeed. It's heartbreaking when a hardworking educatee struggles amongst H5N1 degree maths because they convey gaps inwards their underlying knowledge. I'm ever wondering if there's anything nosotros could produce differently inwards the commencement few weeks of Year 12.

Will the novel GCSE help?
I don't retrieve that GCSE 9-1 has done much to lessen the gap betwixt GCSE in addition to H5N1 level. I previously thought that all the extra maths lessons would brand a big difference. But the extra fourth dimension inwards the classroom has non been spent improving fluency inwards algebra in addition to tackling primal misconceptions - instead nosotros convey had to pass the extra fourth dimension educational activity all the novel topics that were added to GCSE - quadratic sequences, functions, iteration, Venns, frequency trees in addition to then on.

Perhaps I should hold off until later on GCSE results solar daytime to nation this, but I convey a feeling that a educatee volition live on able to acquire a Grade half dozen amongst pretty misfortunate algebra skills. At my school, the entry criteria for H5N1 degree maths is a Grade 6.

If you're wondering how on public it's possible to acquire a Grade half dozen amongst misfortunate algebra skills, I'll explain... There's a actually broad hit of topics inwards maths GCSE. H5N1 educatee mightiness convey memorised how to notice a hateful from grouped data. They mightiness convey memorised index laws. They mightiness live on practiced at Pythagoras, probability trees in addition to scatter graphs. They mightiness alternative upwards a lot of marks on best purchase questions...  But at the same fourth dimension every bit picking upwards marks inwards all these random topics, they could write a charge of algebraic nonsense inwards their exam. They mightiness brand primal algebraic errors when expanding brackets, or solving a elementary equation, in addition to it's yet possible to acquire a decent grade - perchance a Grade 6.

These students mightiness pick out to produce maths at H5N1 level, fifty-fifty though their algebra skills are such that they volition acquire totally lost inwards the really commencement lessons of Year 12. We ask to assist these students grab upwards from solar daytime one.

Previous attempts
The Bridging The Gap Test that my schoolhouse used inwards September 2016 was an hr long in addition to tested a broad hit of GCSE topics including algebraic fractions, linear graphs, surds in addition to solving quadratic equations. The average examine score was 79% for 95 students, amongst marks ranging from 50% to 100%.

The correlation betwixt the September Bridging the Gap Test scores in addition to Feb C1 Mock scores was positive, but it wasn't especially strong. This either tells us that our early on intervention was somewhat effective (there were students who did badly inwards the Bridging The Gap Test but did fairly good inwards the C1 Mock), or it tells us that the Bridging the Gap Test results were non a practiced predictor of hereafter performance.

It's actually difficult to assess whether intervention is effective. In fact it's difficult to assess whether anything inwards educational activity is effective. One of my Year 12s yet couldn't expand double brackets a calendar week earlier his AS exams. I minor fry y'all not. It's crazy that I'd been educational activity him calculus when he didn't convey Year 8 algebra skills. I wonder what nosotros could convey done differently for him, in addition to others similar him.

A novel entry assessment
I've written a new entry assessment that hopefully pinpoints exactly where the gaps lie, to let for highly targeted intervention. You tin flame download it from TES here. This examine is:

• short (because nosotros are really pressed for fourth dimension inwards Year 12 adjacent year)
• print-budget friendly (only i side of A4)
• very quick in addition to tardily to mark 
• highly specific 

This xv infinitesimal examine is intended to live on issued inwards the commencement maths lessons of the year. Its purpose is to position the students who ask immediate intervention, in addition to to position which specific skills they ask to live on taught inwards gild to access the basics of H5N1 degree maths. 

This examine is non intended to challenge the brightest students at all. To them it's only a quick in addition to elementary refresher. The content of the assessment is straightforward, inwards fact it's to a greater extent than frequently than non Key Stage three stuff. This shouldn't live on necessary, but it is. I don't desire to patronise my novel H5N1 degree students then I volition emphasise the expectation that every educatee should acquire total marks. Students amongst a Grade half dozen or higher inwards their maths GCSE should easily live on able to score 100% on this test, shouldn't they...? Hmm, nosotros shall see.

If you're looking for a longer or to a greater extent than challenging baseline assessment for H5N1 level, Edexcel has a i hr assessment here. They convey i for Further Maths classes also - this is a neat agency of assessing suitability for Further Maths.

A novel approach to intervention

Testing in addition to intervention needs to live on immediate, allowing a educatee to alter course of report if required. If a educatee decides to alternative approximately other dependent land instead of maths, they must produce then inwards the commencement few days of Year 12 then they don't autumn behind inwards their novel subject. Some schools acquire out testing in addition to intervention until the 3rd calendar week of term. I retrieve that's also late.

Using the entry assessment to select students for compulsory attendance, I volition run 5 split upwards intervention sessions inside the commencement 2 weeks of Year 12. These volition live on on simplifying, expanding, factorising, solving in addition to number (basic roots in addition to indices, negatives, in addition to the gild of operations). The sessions volition involve specific teaching, practise in addition to a homework describe on Hegarty Maths.

Once the initial 2 calendar week intervention catamenia is over, we'll run the park later on schoolhouse assist clinics all yr round. The query is, how produce nosotros effectively back upwards those students who actually combat throughout the 2 yr course? How produce nosotros avoid the Us? How produce nosotros encourage the correct piece of job ethic? I'd honey to listen what your schoolhouse is planning to do.

Reflects

I began writing this weblog when I started motherhood acquire out 7 months ago. Now that my motherhood acquire out is coming to an end, I'm inwards a reflective mood. I fully intend to proceed writing it i time I provide to operate because writing a weblog - along amongst joining Twitter - has been the best affair I've always done for developing my teaching.

I've learnt to a greater extent than inwards the in conclusion 7 months than I did inwards the previous v years. I've learnt that other teachers are total of amazing ideas. I've learnt how of import it is hear to those ideas too to portion them amongst others. I've formed opinions on what plant good inwards the classroom too what doesn't. I've decided where my priorities lie. I've been inspired past times the passion too dedication of others. I've learnt lots of novel mathematics. I've also learnt close wider issues inwards education. I've learnt that it's impossible to concord amongst everyone precisely it's of import to rest positive too live supportive of my beau maths teachers. I value the advice too opinions of the Twitter community. I don't know how I survived without them.

Now I'm starting to project design lessons for the get-go fourth dimension since May, I've been looking dorsum through my posts.

Gems
Gems 13 was my most pop transportation service ever. Writing these posts takes me a goodness few hours each weekend - fourth dimension that I'll demand for marker when I kicking the bucket dorsum to work. So my v weekly gems may acquire my x monthly gems.
Posts
Ideas from Shanghai was the transportation service that made the biggest impact. I'm real proud that the ideas I featured made their agency into classrooms all over the world. Here's a pocket-size pick of the comments made:

These tweets advise that my weblog is an effective channel for sharing teaching ideas.

I was pleased that most readers understood why I chose to focus on mathematical methods instead of discussing wider issues relating to the cultural, political too structural comparisons.

And it was a goodness demonstration of the ability of Twitter for sharing ideas on a global scale.

  

Thoughts on Teaching Fractions, Introducing Algebra and Introducing Differentiation. I flora these posts especially challenging to write - precisely worthwhile. For event I project design to totally alter the agency I innovate calculus to my Year 12s afterwards researching option approaches. If I didn't write a weblog I never would receive got taken the fourth dimension to retrieve close it. Other pop topic posts included Ideas for Teaching Circle Theorems, Pythagoras' Theorem and Teaching Trigonometry. I welcome requests for time to come posts.

I've written 74 weblog posts thus far, thus yous mightiness live wondering where to start if you're novel to reading my blog. If you're planning lessons too then I advise yous role the search component division or the Practical Tips for (Newly) Qualified Teachers which has loads of ideas that mightiness brand your life easier. If yous instruct H5N1 grade too then yous mightiness desire to read Bridging the Gap to H5N1 Level which, cheers to Andrew Old, featured inwards the Academies Week column Top Blogs of the Week.

My post Why Teach?, which gives an insight into why I became teacher, was also popular. 

It was my post Long Live Stem too Leaf that get-go got my weblog to a greater extent than or less attention. In this post I argued against Cav's sentiment that Stem too Leaf Diagrams were a welcome removal from the curriculum. This was the get-go fourth dimension I was brave plenty to assert an opinion! Since too then I've acquire a to a greater extent than confident blogger.

#PREThomeworks

In August, Kathryn Forster tweeted to a greater extent than or less photos of her novel homework template:

I thought this was a genuinely goodness homework format - it would sure enough operate good amongst my students - thus I asked Kathryn if I could characteristic her template inwards my adjacent gems transportation service (Gems 3). There was a non bad answer to this post, thus Kathryn too I started working on edifice upward a large collection of these homeworks. I gave them a get upward - 'Pret homeworks' - too nosotros asked for contributions through Twitter. I ready a page on resourceaholic.com to portion contributions. This rapidly became the busiest page on my website. I felt that these pop homeworks deserved their ain dedicated site thus I moved them to prethomework.weebly.com in October. We immediately receive got 69 homeworks (the collection grows every week) from 27 contributors. The format has been adopted past times Science too English linguistic communication too. Again, this demonstrates the ability of Twitter every bit a collaboration tool.

Sphere Pret homework by @_rhi_rhi

Resource Libraries
My resource libraries are total of recommendations. The Number page has been the most popular, closely followed by Algebra and Shape.  Interestingly, the Data resources are barely used inwards comparison. When I kicking the bucket dorsum to operate I retrieve my Core AS and Statistics AS pages are going to live genuinely helpful because it's difficult to detect goodness Post-16 resources.

Misconceptions
I'm working on another project, a misconceptions website. You're welcome to receive got a hold off at it too give me to a greater extent than or less feedback, precisely acquit inwards heed that it's very early on days. I demand to give it its ain URL too I receive got loads to a greater extent than materials to add. But if yous receive got a quick look, you'll acquire an thought of what I receive got inwards mind. I promise it volition live a useful tool, especially for novel teachers. I retrieve I mightiness demand a twain of volunteers to add together posts i time it's upward too running thus delight allow me know if you're interested inwards helping.

Still addicted?
I'm even thus real much addicted to searching the cyberspace for maths resources too immediately I tin forcefulness out add together blogging to my listing of addictions... has acquire blogaholic! It's been a non bad 7 months. I mightiness receive got to cutting downward soon, precisely at to the lowest degree i time I'm dorsum at schoolhouse I'll genuinely acquire to endeavor things out earlier I recommend them. I can't write a goodness weblog close maths teaching if I'm non genuinely teaching whatever maths.

Please vote for me!
If you're a regular reader of my weblog too then you'll know that lately I've been asking people to vote for me inwards the 2015 Great Britain Blog Awards. The listing of entrants inwards the individual/freelance instruction category is immense too many of the other entrants receive got tens of thousands of followers. Only i inwards v of the blogs inwards my category volition acquire through to the final. If yous could spare a infinitesimal that would live fantastic - delight click hither to vote. Voting closes on third Dec 2014.

Thanks for reading. ☺

My daughters too my blog!

Reflects

I began writing this weblog when I started motherhood acquire out 7 months ago. Now that my motherhood acquire out is coming to an end, I'm inwards a reflective mood. I fully intend to proceed writing it i time I provide to operate because writing a weblog - along amongst joining Twitter - has been the best affair I've always done for developing my teaching.

I've learnt to a greater extent than inwards the in conclusion 7 months than I did inwards the previous v years. I've learnt that other teachers are total of amazing ideas. I've learnt how of import it is hear to those ideas too to portion them amongst others. I've formed opinions on what plant good inwards the classroom too what doesn't. I've decided where my priorities lie. I've been inspired past times the passion too dedication of others. I've learnt lots of novel mathematics. I've also learnt close wider issues inwards education. I've learnt that it's impossible to concord amongst everyone precisely it's of import to rest positive too live supportive of my beau maths teachers. I value the advice too opinions of the Twitter community. I don't know how I survived without them.

Now I'm starting to project design lessons for the get-go fourth dimension since May, I've been looking dorsum through my posts.

Gems
Gems 13 was my most pop transportation service ever. Writing these posts takes me a goodness few hours each weekend - fourth dimension that I'll demand for marker when I kicking the bucket dorsum to work. So my v weekly gems may acquire my x monthly gems.
Posts
Ideas from Shanghai was the transportation service that made the biggest impact. I'm real proud that the ideas I featured made their agency into classrooms all over the world. Here's a pocket-size pick of the comments made:

These tweets advise that my weblog is an effective channel for sharing teaching ideas.

I was pleased that most readers understood why I chose to focus on mathematical methods instead of discussing wider issues relating to the cultural, political too structural comparisons.

And it was a goodness demonstration of the ability of Twitter for sharing ideas on a global scale.

  

Thoughts on Teaching Fractions, Introducing Algebra and Introducing Differentiation. I flora these posts especially challenging to write - precisely worthwhile. For event I project design to totally alter the agency I innovate calculus to my Year 12s afterwards researching option approaches. If I didn't write a weblog I never would receive got taken the fourth dimension to retrieve close it. Other pop topic posts included Ideas for Teaching Circle Theorems, Pythagoras' Theorem and Teaching Trigonometry. I welcome requests for time to come posts.

I've written 74 weblog posts thus far, thus yous mightiness live wondering where to start if you're novel to reading my blog. If you're planning lessons too then I advise yous role the search component division or the Practical Tips for (Newly) Qualified Teachers which has loads of ideas that mightiness brand your life easier. If yous instruct H5N1 grade too then yous mightiness desire to read Bridging the Gap to H5N1 Level which, cheers to Andrew Old, featured inwards the Academies Week column Top Blogs of the Week.

My post Why Teach?, which gives an insight into why I became teacher, was also popular. 

It was my post Long Live Stem too Leaf that get-go got my weblog to a greater extent than or less attention. In this post I argued against Cav's sentiment that Stem too Leaf Diagrams were a welcome removal from the curriculum. This was the get-go fourth dimension I was brave plenty to assert an opinion! Since too then I've acquire a to a greater extent than confident blogger.

#PREThomeworks

In August, Kathryn Forster tweeted to a greater extent than or less photos of her novel homework template:

I thought this was a genuinely goodness homework format - it would sure enough operate good amongst my students - thus I asked Kathryn if I could characteristic her template inwards my adjacent gems transportation service (Gems 3). There was a non bad answer to this post, thus Kathryn too I started working on edifice upward a large collection of these homeworks. I gave them a get upward - 'Pret homeworks' - too nosotros asked for contributions through Twitter. I ready a page on resourceaholic.com to portion contributions. This rapidly became the busiest page on my website. I felt that these pop homeworks deserved their ain dedicated site thus I moved them to prethomework.weebly.com in October. We immediately receive got 69 homeworks (the collection grows every week) from 27 contributors. The format has been adopted past times Science too English linguistic communication too. Again, this demonstrates the ability of Twitter every bit a collaboration tool.

Sphere Pret homework by @_rhi_rhi

Resource Libraries
My resource libraries are total of recommendations. The Number page has been the most popular, closely followed by Algebra and Shape.  Interestingly, the Data resources are barely used inwards comparison. When I kicking the bucket dorsum to operate I retrieve my Core AS and Statistics AS pages are going to live genuinely helpful because it's difficult to detect goodness Post-16 resources.

Misconceptions
I'm working on another project, a misconceptions website. You're welcome to receive got a hold off at it too give me to a greater extent than or less feedback, precisely acquit inwards heed that it's very early on days. I demand to give it its ain URL too I receive got loads to a greater extent than materials to add. But if yous receive got a quick look, you'll acquire an thought of what I receive got inwards mind. I promise it volition live a useful tool, especially for novel teachers. I retrieve I mightiness demand a twain of volunteers to add together posts i time it's upward too running thus delight allow me know if you're interested inwards helping.

Still addicted?
I'm even thus real much addicted to searching the cyberspace for maths resources too immediately I tin forcefulness out add together blogging to my listing of addictions... has acquire blogaholic! It's been a non bad 7 months. I mightiness receive got to cutting downward soon, precisely at to the lowest degree i time I'm dorsum at schoolhouse I'll genuinely acquire to endeavor things out earlier I recommend them. I can't write a goodness weblog close maths teaching if I'm non genuinely teaching whatever maths.

Please vote for me!
If you're a regular reader of my weblog too then you'll know that lately I've been asking people to vote for me inwards the 2015 Great Britain Blog Awards. The listing of entrants inwards the individual/freelance instruction category is immense too many of the other entrants receive got tens of thousands of followers. Only i inwards v of the blogs inwards my category volition acquire through to the final. If yous could spare a infinitesimal that would live fantastic - delight click hither to vote. Voting closes on third Dec 2014.

Thanks for reading. ☺

My daughters too my blog!