Making Good Progress in KS2 Mathematics Level 3 to Level 5

1
Making Good Progressin KS2 MathematicsLevel 3
to Level 5
2
Focusing on progression

• Key questions
• In what ways do we track for progression across
  the school and in each class?
• How is this information used to identify those
  children who are making slow progress?
• Which children and specific groups of children
  are currently identified through our tracking?
• What actions are we taking to support these
  children?

3
High Attaining Pupils Key Stage 2 Maths (2007)
4
School Pupil Progression Chart

• Paste from RAISEonline Mathematics
• Instruction on adding pupil progression charts
  from RAISEonline
• Once you have logged onto RAISEonline and found
  the Pupil Progression chart you want in your
  presentation, you need to
• On the select a format drop down menu, choose
  Acrobat (PDF) file
• Click on Export
• Click on Open
• Once you have the PDF open, click on tools,
  select Select Zoom and click on Snapshot
  tool.
• Using the cursor select the area you want to copy
  to your presentation.
• When you let go of the left click on your mouse
  it should say Selected area has been copied
  Click ok.
• Go to the power point slide, right-click on mouse
  and select paste.
• You can adjust the chart size using the circles
  in each corner of the image

5
Discussion (1)

• Consider the national pupil progression chart for
  Key
• Stage 2 mathematics and the schools own chart
• How does the schools chart compare to the
  national one?
• Who are the children in your class who are
  potentially slow moving or falling behind?
• What are some of the reasons for these pupils
  making slow progress in mathematics?

6
Investigating progress in mathematics at Key
Stage 2 (1)

• The findings presented on subsequent slides arise
  from an investigation focusing on slow movers
  in mathematics, identified in terms of conversion
  from Level 3 at KS1 to Level 5 at KS2
• The schools involved in the investigation were
  selected on the basis of their KS1 to KS2
  conversion rates
• A relatively small sample of 19 schools was chosen

7
Investigating progress in mathematics at Key
Stage 2 (2)

• The investigation included
• Focused discussions with approximately 110
  children in Year 4 and Year 6
• Discussions with headteachers, subject leaders
  teachers
• The findings have been cross-checked with
  evidence obtained by Ofsted, the National
  Strategies and the Training and Development
  Agency for Schools (TDA) and appropriate actions
  agreed with these partners

8
Pen portrait of slow movingchildren in
mathematics (1)

• The children
• were often girls
• were generally well behaved and had a positive
  approach to learning
• were often described as invisible children
• didnt like answering questions in front of the
  class
• tended to work on their own
• would sit with their hand up but not always be
  noticed

9
Pen portrait of the slow moving children in
mathematics (2)

• Children struggling to make progress from
• Level 3 to Level 5
• were tentative and cautious when starting a new
  topic
• liked to be able to get on with their work
• liked discussing and working in pairs or small
  groups so long as the pupils were of similar
  ability but did not do this often
• wanted to be taught more as a small group
• could distinguish between getting all the answers
  right and developing understanding
• did not like wasting time
• liked quiet thinking time
• knew that maths is important and wanted to do
  well

10
Pen portrait of the slow moving children in
mathematics (3)

• A small number of the children struggling to
  make progress from Level 3 to Level 5
• tended to be over-confident and rushed their
  work, often making mistakes
• were competitive and wanted to finish first
• were demanding of the teachers attention and
  misbehaved if ignored
• often wasted time if they finished early

11
Discussion (2)

• Do you have pupils in your class that fit these
  profiles?
• Which of the characteristics most closely match
  those of the children in your class who are
  potentially slow moving or falling behind?

12
Slow moving pupils starting at Level 3 in
mathematics

• Do you have pupils who
• struggle to explain their thinking and methods?
• have difficulty in remembering and using
  mathematical vocabulary?
• lack flexibility with number, for example, they
  struggle to identify related facts from those
  they know?
• tend to rely on one method when calculating and
  solving
• problems?
• struggle with problems, particularly those that
  involve two or more steps?
• lack self help strategies?

13
Obstacles hindering progression from Level 3 to
Level 5 in mathematics (1)

• Typically pupils
• had a range of mental calculation skills but had
  difficulty selecting the most efficient method
• were better at adding and multiplying mentally
  than subtracting and dividing
• were not aware of the importance of reading a
  calculation and deciding whether to do it
  mentally, with jottings or use a formal written
  method
• had difficulty with understanding place value of
  decimals and relating fractions to their decimal
  representations

14
Obstacles hindering progression from Level 3 to
Level 5 in mathematics (2)

• Typically pupils
• were familiar with visual images such as number
  lines but did not appreciate the value of them to
  aid calculation
• had difficulty seeing the relationships and
  connections in mathematics
• did not understand division
• had weak calculator skills

15
Discussion (3)

• Which of the descriptions and obstacles to
  progress are most pertinent to the pupils you
  teach?

16
What all slow moving pupils in Key Stage 2 need
in mathematics (1)

• Activities and approaches to help engage pupils
  in mathematical thinking
• To use mathematical vocabulary and language to
  express their explanations and thinking with
  other pupils and their teacher in all mathematics
  lessons
• Confidence and greater flexibility with number
  and calculation through shared discussion about
  links and how alternative methods work

17
What all slow moving pupils in Key Stage 2 need
in mathematics (2)

• To explore and focus on how and why different
  methods work rather than just on the answer, e.g.
  devising questions for a fixed answer, exploring
  when statements are true and false, matching
  linked facts
• Time and support in developing independent
  learning and self-help strategies, e.g. comparing
  approaches when stuck, referring to displays,
  etc.

18
What pupils need to support progression in
mathematics from Level 3 to Level 5

• Practice on how to read calculations and decide
  on the most efficient approach
• Paired and small group work to explore and
  evaluate different methods and approaches
• Further guidance on the use and value of visual
  images to aid calculation
• Time to explore relationships and connections in
  mathematics e.g. between fractions, decimals and
  percentages
• To address their weaknesses with division, e.g.
  through strengthening the links between
  subtraction and division and helping them to see
  the relationship between multiplication and
  division
• Practice in using a calculator in activities that
  involve mental calculation strategies and
  reasoning

19
Discussion (4)

• Next steps
• What do you think are the key issues arising from
  this session for the school?
• How can they be addressed at senior leader,
  subject leader and class teacher levels?