Mathematics
Babcock Mathematics Research Talks
This series of online mathematics research talks focusses on small-scale research projects of interest to teachers and all involved in mathematics education.
The next Research Talk is Teaching for Mastery and the Voice of the Mathematics Textbook (with Andy Ash) on Thursday 6 May 2021 at 16:00 - 17:00hrs
This talk reports on a research study that investigated the interplay between teachers and textbooks during ongoing maths curriculum reform within the English education system. The research identified important changes to both classroom practice as well as teacher beliefs; these will be of interest to anyone interested in considering the use of textbooks as part of the school maths curriculum.
Book your FREE place via our online shop.
Take a look at previous Research Talk Sessions
COVID-19: support and updated Professional Development offer
In response to the continuing situation around COVID-19 and the impact on schools, we have adjusted our maths offer, with new opportunities available to support schools and teachers: Diagnostic Assessment in Mathematics and Maths Mind Snacks for Teachers.
These new programmes will be funded for teachers in Devon maintained schools. Details of each can be found below.
We are postponing the planned maths programmes which require face to face sessions (Developing Reasoning, Making a Difference and Fair and Equal) and these will now run in 2021/2. Places already offered on these programmes will be available if schools wish to take them up next year; we will be in contact about this in the summer term.
Diagnostic Assessment Training – Free to Devon Maintained Schools, Low Cost for All Other Schools
As we deal with the impact of the disruptions to education this year, diagnostic assessment has a key role to play in enabling teachers to support learning. Diagnostic assessment gives teachers a nuanced understanding of children’s learning so that they can plan their teaching to match the needs of the class or their additional interventions to match the needs of smaller groups or individuals. Accurately assessing learning underpins any and all activity to help the recovery process and to make sure children are in a position to catch up. This programme will explore and support the use of diagnostic assessment in mathematics.
This programme runs across two morning sessions online and there are two opportunities to participate across the summer term:
- 20th and 27th May
- 23rd and 30th June
Maths Mind Snacks for Teachers – Free to Devon Maintained Schools, Low Cost for All Other Schools
We are offering a range of one hour PD sessions focussed on specific areas of mathematics, which will allow teachers to work on some maths together as part of a wider mathematics community.
This will include exploring understanding of concepts and structures and considering how to make best use of the ideas with learners.
These sessions will all run from 15:45 – 16:45 across the spring and summer terms.
Titles and dates:
- Number Sense Y1/2 20th April
- Number Sense Y3/4 21st April
- Number Sense Y5/6 22nd April
- Fostering Inquiring Minds Y3/4 28th April
- Fostering Inquiring Minds Y1/2 12th May
- Maths and Art Y5/6 13th May
- Multiplicative fluency through reasoning Y3/4 19th May
- Multiplicative fluency through reasoning Y5/6 20th May
- Visualising shapes KS2 8th June
Primary Maths (termly) Subject Leader Meetings for individuals ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
A chance to network with colleagues and hear the latest curriculum advice. Attendance at termly half-day subject leader network meetings (three meetings across the year – one place per package).
Invitation to an UnLocke Project Webinar in partnership with LEARNUS Via ZOOM
STOP and THINK!
Learning counter-intuitive concepts in primary maths and science
- Wednesday 17th March 2021 at 5.00pm
- Wednesday 28th April 2021 at 5.00pm
Attendance is Free
As part of the dissemination of the UnLocke Project, in this webinar they will reflect on the findings of this successful project. In particular, they will review the impact the Stop and Think activities had on children’s learning and reflect on the teachers’ views of the project and its potential.
They will also discuss some implications for teaching strategies in maths and science. This unique randomised-control trial funded by EEF provided further insights into how, by successfully inhibiting their intuitive ideas, children can improve their learning in maths and science. This is in line with existing educational neuroscience research which indicates that in order to learn counter-intuitive concepts successfully children need to be able to inhibit their intuitive, pre-existing ideas.
Professor Denis Mareschal is Professor of Psychology in the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at Birkbeck College and Project Leader of the UnLocke Project. Professor Derek Bell is Director of Learnus and a co-investigator on the UnLocke Project.
Funded Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers and for Teaching Assistants
Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics Programmes
Places are available on these maths hub programmes which are being run by both the Jurassic and CODE Maths hubs; schools are encouraged to apply for more than one place where practical and appropriate. The programmes for the Jurassic Maths Hub are being led by members of the Babcock LDP maths team; Ruth Trundley leading the programme for teachers and Helen Edginton leading the programme for teaching assistants. Each programme involves five online meetings across the year; details are as follows
SKTM Teachers
During the programme, participants will explore the structures underpinning key elements of mathematics, plan collaboratively and observe how learners respond to tasks in order to deepen their thinking.
The programme will run across five sessions :
- Session 1 Introduction (90 minutes)
- Sessions 2 to 5
Four days focused on number sense and multiplicative reasoning (multiplication, division and fractions). These days will be a mix of: online ‘face to face’ professional development, self-study and working in collaborative planning groups
For more information email: jurassicmaths@woodroffe.dorset.sch.uk
SKTM Teaching assistants
The programme will run across five sessions :
- Session 1 Introduction (90 minutes)
- Sessions 2 to 5 (3 hours each)
Four sessions focused on number sense and additive reasoning (addition and subtraction)
These sessions will be online ‘face to face’ professional development.
For more information email: jurassicmaths@woodroffe.dorset.sch.uk
Introduction to the Primary Non-Statutory Guidance Recorded Webinar
The publication of the Mathematics guidance: key stages 1 and 2 shortly before the summer break has provided primary schools and maths subject leaders with a weighty document to consider in the context of their current provision for mathematics. This recorded webinar provides understanding of the context in which the document has been written, clarity around intention, key aspects for schools to consider and ideas for how to begin engaging with the document in order to use it to best inform school practice. We will be delving deeper into the document through our termly subject leader meetings throughout this year, in order to support subject leaders to plan for use of the document with staff in a meaningful way, including considering the potential for different forms of professional development linked to the document (see above)
Understanding Structured Number Lines - Project Report July 2019
This project was set up in response to growing evidence that pupils in England are not developing an understanding of the structured number line and that this has implications with regard to understanding mathematics across several domains of the national curriculum including those related to calculation. The project focussed on the following research questions:
- What are the key elements to understanding number lines as representations of the number system?
- Which activities help support this understanding?
- What is the impact of understanding number lines?
The phase 1 report is now available and has implications for teaching children across the primary age range; teachers working in EYFS to Y6 were included in the first phase of the project.
M-cubed supports the learning of multiplication facts with understanding, using different representations (symbols, language, contexts and images) to focus on structure and connections. Understanding structure and connections is key to developing fluency and to knowing how to use known facts to solve problems. Knowing and understanding mathematical facts and how to use them is part of being a mathematician.
With the multiplication tables check becoming statutory in England from 2020, there is a pressure on teachers to ensure children know multiplication facts. Children also need to understand these facts if they are to be useful when solving problems and developing further multiplicative reasoning: M-cubed is designed to provide opportunities to build known facts with understanding.
Download the flyer for more information
Supporting children to be active and influential participants in mathematics lessons
Supporting children to be active and influential participants in mathematics lessons through effective use of assigning competence and pre-teaching
Following a year-long action research project, funded by Devon County Council, Jurassic Maths Hub and Cornwall and West Devon Maths Hub, this report examines the impact of class teachers pre-teaching and assigning competence to vulnerable children, with the aim of supporting them to be active and influential participants in mathematics lessons.
The impact has been extraordinary. We have had the privilege of witnessing teachers change children’s lives through this project. Children who had no belief in themselves as learners in mathematics now believe in themselves, and are actively involved in their own learning and in the learning of others.
No Nonsense Number Facts
Teaching for Mastery: fluency through reasoning with number facts
No Nonsense Number Facts provides teachers with a coherent programme for supporting fluency in number facts in line with the aims of both the national curriculum and teaching for mastery.
The programme is easy to use, flexible and comprehensive. With plenty of guidance to improve teachers’ own subject knowledge, engaging activities and helpful resources, this pack enables you to implement an effective number facts programme for Years 1 to 6.
Further information can be found here as well as by viewing the two video clips "What is No Nonsense Number Facts?" and "How have your children responded to No Nonsense Number Facts?"
Learning from the ICME international survey on teachers working and learning through collaboration
In order to both support and challenge professionals who lead mathematics developments across the South West, Alison Clark-Wilson was invited to join the South West PD Network meeting, held at Exeter Mathematics School, and engage participants in exploring and furthering their understanding of collaborative working, through a collaborative process. The resulting report will be of interest to all involved in setting up collaborative projects. Read the report here...
CPD Opportunities
We have published our schedule of training opportunities for the next few terms and it will include the following:
- New to KS1: exploring key ideas in mathematics
- New to KS2: exploring key ideas in mathematics
- Mathematics Middle Leaders Programme
- Improving maths results: learning from data
- Improving maths results: ideas for Y6
- Supporting children who struggle with maths
- Supporting children in maths lessons package
- Developing Reasoning Programme
- Maths Subject Leaders meetings
For more information and to book visit our online shop.
If you would like to run any of the training for your school or a cluster of schools please contact Ruth Trundley via email.
Assessment Resource
Children as evidence: assessing understanding in mathematics by talking to children
Materials to support in-school and cross-school moderation and standardisation for Y1 to Y6
These materials have been produced to support schools with moderation and standardisation.
Supporting Flexible Intervention
The BabcockLDP maths team has produced three training packages , 'From Counting to Calculating', 'Making a Difference' and 'Fair and Equal 'to support flexible intervention and provides training in the intervention programmes Numbers Count, Success at Arithmetic and Talk4Number, all produced by Edge Hill.
Read about our intervention programmes here...
If you would like to run any of the training for your school or a cluster of schools please contact Ruth Trundley via email.
Teaching for Mastery in Mixed-Age Classes
A report from this small-scale action research project is now available, with linked video clips of participating teachers talking about the findings. The research findings have been organised into two sets; the first explores actions which focus on adjusting the structure of lessons in order to cater for a mixed-age class and the second outlines aspects of teaching for mastery which have a particular part to play in supporting teaching for mastery in mixed-age classes.
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