MEI Newsletter
Mathematics in Education and Industry
From the Chief Executive
► GCSE Mathematics
► Post-16 GCSE re-sits and Functional Skills Mathematics
► MEI House of Lords Reception
It’s nearly Christmas,
which always feels to
me like the academic
year is half over,
probably because the
time from January to
the exam season
seems to flash past so
quickly. I hope you’ve
had a good term and
enjoy a refreshing
break over Christmas.
GCSE
Mathematics
For many secondary
school maths teachers,
this term will have
been especially
challenging because of
the introduction of the
new GCSE
Mathematics, which is
intended to be more
demanding and is
expected to take up
more timetable time
than the ‘old’ GCSE.
How are you finding it?
How are your year 10s
finding it? Has your
school allowed more
teaching time? Have
you changed the way
you are teaching
maths to reflect the
greater focus on
mathematical
reasoning and problem
solving in the new
GCSEs? If so, do you
think it is working?
Please contact me with
your views and
suggestions for what
you feel is needed to
help support schools to
make the new GCSE
Mathematics a
success.
Post-16 GCSE re
-sits and
Functional Skills
Mathematics
I decided to teach
some GCSE re-sit
maths this year –
something I haven’t
done for 15 years. I’m
teaching 90 minutes a
week (half the course)
for a group of re-sit
students who are
following vocational
programmes at my
local FE/sixth form
college. I wanted to do
this because, though I
strongly support the
aspiration that students
should study maths to
age 18, I’m very
concerned about the
strain on our education
system of the new
requirements for post16 students to re-sit
GCSE Mathematics (if
they have a D grade),
or to follow a
programme working
December 2015
towards GCSE
Mathematics (if they
have a grade below D),
and I wanted to get
some first-hand
experience of how it is
working. My local
college, like schools
and colleges across
the country, is doing its
best to make it work. I
think they are doing a
great job in the
circumstances, but it’s
a huge challenge for
schools and colleges
to find staff and
timetable time to teach
the greatly increased
numbers.
Last summer, an extra
30 000 students re-sat
GCSE Mathematics at
age 17 and, of these,
almost 20 000 failed to
achieve a grade C or
better (the pass rate
for 17 year olds fell
from 38.9% to 35.8%).
This means many of
these students have
added to the teaching
load this academic
year. We urgently need
more maths teachers
who are confident and
qualified to teach
maths to GCSE level
and beyond.
I’m enjoying my GCSE
Inside this issue:
Focus of the Month
3
Integral online
resources for
Mathematics
3
New AS and A levels
in Mathematics and
Further Mathematics
for teaching from
2017
4
MEI’s Annual Review
4
MEI Annual
Conference 2016
4
Free CPD for Core
Maths
5
Bridge it! A game to
help students prepare
for higher tier GCSE
Mathematics and
beyond
5
Free webinar:
Teaching
trigonometry for the
new Foundation Tier
GCSE Mathematics
5
Assessing Core
Maths
6
Update on FMSP
Teacher Support
7
2016 Year 10 Maths
Feast
9
Senior Team
Mathematics
Challenge (STMC)
2015/16
9
New post-16 GCSE
Mathematics and
vocational videos and
guides
10
Page 2
December 2015
re-sit teaching, and the
students seem to be
responding quite well
so far, though they
have a long way to go.
Students who achieve
a grade D at the end of
year 11 were often
involved in special
programmes at school
to help them achieve a
grade C. Unfortunately,
this is not the same
goal as developing a
sustainable
understanding of
GCSE level maths.
A big issue for me is
whether the current
focus on re-sitting
GCSE Mathematics is
the best option. I want
the students to receive
the most useful
possible maths
education for them,
enabling them to use
maths confidently and
effectively in life and
work. I fear most re-sit
students see GCSE
Mathematics only as
an examination hurdle,
they don’t think about
the usefulness of
maths itself. I suspect
re-sitting an
examination they have
already failed and that
is focused partly on
maths needed for
further study in
academic subjects,
often serves only to
reinforce their negative
views of maths.
Functional Skills
Mathematics
qualifications are to be
revised. If this is done
well, I believe it could
be a far better option
for many of the tens of
thousands of GCSE resit students. However,
it’s not just the content
of the qualification that
must be right; it must
be recognised fully by
employers, so that, for
vocational students, a
pass in Functional
Skills Mathematics has
equal status with a
pass in GCSE
Mathematics. As long
as having at least a
grade C in GCSE
Mathematics and
English is used as a
crude first filter for job
applicants, re-sitting
GCSE Mathematics
will remain the best
option for these
students, even if it
does not address their
mathematical needs.
An alternative could be
to develop a new post16 GCSE
Mathematics, tailored
to the needs of
vocational students.
This could be based on
a subset of the new
GCSE content, with a
maximum grade of 5
on the new 9-point
scale. I’d be
interested to hear your
views on this.
MEI House of
Lords reception
On 11 November, MEI
held a reception at the
House of Lords, hosted
by Lord Broers. The
theme was how to
support increased
participation and
achievement in maths
education post-16.
Influential guests were
invited from a range of
backgrounds, including
interested members of
both Houses of
Parliament and
representatives from
industry, professional
bodies, institutes of
higher education, and
others with an interest
in improving maths
education. The event
was very well attended
and provided a lively
forum in which to raise
and discuss the issues.
MEI’s key messages at
the event were:
Mathematics – the
gains over the last
10 years have been
a great success and
must not be put at
risk.
Speeches from the
reception can be
accessed here.
► Please encourage
all young people,
especially girls, to
take the most
demanding maths
programme they
can post-16. This
will ensure they are
well equipped for a
successful future.
► Please support our
call for increased
support for the
recruitment and
development of
maths teachers –
the scale of the
changes, and the
importance of the
vision, mean more
investment is
needed.
► Please support our
call to ensure A
level funding
changes do not
have a negative
effect on the uptake
of AS/A level
Further
Charlie Stripp
Chief Executive
Email Charlie
Page 3
MEI Newsletter
Focus of the
Month
Since September
we’ve been running a
regular ‘Focus of the
Month’ item on the
Home pages of the
MEI and FMSP
websites. These
highlight topical areas
of interest and provide
a handy summary of all
the things we offer that
can support you with
them.
For December, the
focus is on
Technology.
Previous topics have
been:
► A level resources
► Sixth Form open
evenings
► Key Stage 3 and 4
Integral online
resources for
Mathematics
Work continues to
bring exciting new
resources to Integral.
The latest additions
include new
Walkthroughs for
Further Pure 1 and
new exercises for Core
2. You can get updates
on all the new content
by following Integral on
Twitter
@Integral_Maths. We’ll
also be highlighting
particular teaching
resources available in
Integral via Twitter and
from the integral
homepage
integralmaths.org.
Integral is being
prepared for the new A
levels in Mathematics
and Further
Mathematics - look out
for announcements in
2016.
Puzzles from
‘Sumaze!’, MEI’s new,
free, problem-solving
app have also been
added to Integral.
Sumaze! reached
number 5 in the new
free Education apps
chart for Google Play.
Following the great
feedback for Sumaze!
we’ve introduced a
new ‘Sumaze of the
Week’ feature,
accessible from the
Integral homepage.
You can find past
editions of MEI’s Focus
of the Month here.
The FMSP website has
a similar focus feature
– in some months it will
cover the same theme
as MEI, for others it will
have a different focus.
You can find past
editions here.
Please let us know
what you think of this
idea. Do you have any
suggestions for future
themes?
To get more
information about
Integral and to view
samples, visit
integralmaths.org.
Janice Richards
Programme Leader
(Business
Development and
Communications)
Email Janice
Integral will be at
BETT show
The world’s leading
education technology
event
Stand F61
If you haven’t played
Sumaze!, please pick it
up for free for Android
devices or iPad/iPhone
from Google Play or
the App Store.
Excel, London
20-23 January 2016
Visit the Integral
team there for
demonstrations and
the latest information
Richard Lissaman
Online Resources
Coordinator
Email Richard
Click here for more
information
Page 4
December 2015
New AS and A
levels in
Mathematics and
Further
Mathematics for
teaching from
2017
Ofqual has published
its ‘A level
Mathematics Working
Group Report’,
together with a
consultation on the
assessment objectives
for the new
mathematics A levels.
The report deals with
problem solving,
modelling and the use
of large data sets in
MEI’s Annual
Review
MEI’s annual review
for 2014-15 is now
available on our
website, and printed
copies are available on
request. The annual
review provides a
useful summary of the
maths education
environment, together
with some of MEI’s
many highlights of the
year. There are lots of
the new A levels. MEI
will be responding to
the consultation but
please respond
yourselves too.
new specifications,
developing new
textbooks and new
Integral online
resources.
We are continuing
development of new
MEI AS and A levels in
Mathematics and
Further Mathematics
and, subject to
Ofqual’s timetable, we
expect to publish draft
specifications and
specimen assessment
materials during this
academic year. We
are also working on
resources for teachers
and students for the
Thank you to those of
you who have provided
feedback on our A
level development
work through the
survey, and to those
who have trialled
questions with your
students. This has
been hugely helpful to
us in refining our
thinking.
If you have questions
about the new
mathematics A levels,
or would like to trial
any materials with your
students, please get in
touch.
Stella Dudzic
Programme Leader
(Curriculum)
Email Stella
lovely photos too. Do
please take a look.
MEI Annual
Conference 2016
Please remember to
‘save the date’ for
MEI’s Annual
Conference for all
11-19 maths teachers
next summer,
30 June - 2 July 2016.
We are already putting
together a full
programme of
plenaries and
workshops. There will
be plenty for everyone,
from KS3 to
pre-university and
working towards post16 GCSE.
A key strand will focus
on the new A levels in
Mathematics, to help
you to get up to speed
for first teaching from
September 2017.
We look forward to
seeing you there!
Janice Richards
Programme Leader
(Business
Development and
Communications)
Email Janice
Page 5
MEI Newsletter
Free CPD for
Core Maths
There are still places
available at free OCR
organised training
events for the OCR/
MEI Core Maths
qualifications.
Core Maths Training
event: This morning
event has the following
aims:
► To introduce the two
OCR(MEI) Core
Bridge It! A
game to help
students prepare
for higher tier
GCSE
Mathematics and
beyond
Bridge It! is a quiz
game with questions to
test basic skills,
through to multi-step
problems. This game is
suitable for anyone
progressing to postGCSE maths (or those
preparing for higher
tier GCSE
Mathematics) for
Maths qualifications
and enable teachers
to understand the
relationships
between them.
► To outline some
models for
delivering the
qualifications in a
school/college.
► To provide an
introduction to some
useful, freely
available, resources
► Reviewing topics
from GCSE
Mathematics
► Strengthening skills
from GCSE
Mathematics to get
ready for the next
level
Core Maths Problem
Solving event: This
afternoon event has
the following aims:
► To familiarise
teachers with the
problem solving
cycles used in the
OCR(MEI) Core
Maths qualifications.
► To build teacher
assessment of A level
Mathematics from
2017.
confidence in
teaching through
problem solving in
Core Maths.
► To provide an
introduction to some
relevant problems
which can be used
in teaching Core
Maths.
It is possible to go to
both events at the
same venue on the
same day. Book via
the OCR CPD hub
Bridge It! is available
free of charge for
trialling in beta version
at mei.org.uk/bridgeit
The game contains
230 questions covering
22 topics, including:
► sorting and
matching
► Developing deeper
problem-solving
skills demanded at
post-GCSE level.
► drag’n’drop
geometry
► a problem-solving
These skills will be
emphasised in the
finale.
Stella Dudzic
Programme Leader
(Curriculum)
Email Stella
for teaching it. The
webinar is scheduled
for 16:00-16:45, on
Thursday 21st January
2016.
Free webinar:
Teaching
trigonometry for
the new
Foundation Tier
GCSE
Mathematics
Trigonometry is one of
the new topics
included in the
for teaching the
qualifications.
Please register here if
you would like to
attend.
foundation tier. MEI is
offering a free webinar
providing some ideas
Katharine Davies
MEI Curriculum
Resource Developer
Email Katharine
Page 6
December 2015
Assessing Core
Maths
Most schools and
colleges have systems
in place for gathering,
monitoring and
responding to
estimated examination
grades. As so much for
schools, colleges,
students and teachers,
depends on final
examination grades, it
is important that this
information is as
accurate as possible.
With existing
qualifications, most
schools/colleges have
robust systems in
place, using a
combination of teacher
experience and past
examination papers,
but this is more difficult
for a new qualification
like Core Maths. As the
qualification becomes
more established and
teacher experience
grows, the established
systems will work, but
for the moment a
different approach is
needed. This presents
an opportunity to make
creative use of
formative assessment
methods and
approaches.
Formative assessment,
if used correctly,
should provide a
detailed picture of how
students are
developing their
mathematical
understanding in
lessons. It can be used
instead of grade based
assessment for
monitoring purposes
(see Black and
Wiliam).
The information can be
useful in several ways,
for example:
examples are given
below.
The results of these
discussions could form
the basis for brief
entries in a learning
log.
► Planning future
lessons to maximise
student learning
► Giving feedback to
students which will
help them to
develop as problem
solvers (see the
work of Carol
Dweck on mindset)
► Developing a
picture of how
individual students
are progressing.
The PRIMAS project
website has some
interesting suggestions
about how to get the
most from peer and
self-assessment,
including a video clip
(on this page) where a
class assess and rank
some answers to a
problem, then share
their opinions to
develop an
understanding of what
a good solution looks
like. There are some
downloads on the
same page which give
useful further
information.
Reflecting on learning
can be encouraged by
using diagrams and
other discussion
prompts. A few
Short assessment
tasks can be used, and
example solutions
discussed, to help
students develop an
understanding of what
makes a good solution.
It could be argued that
the most accurate
indication of a
student’s final
examination grade is
the one obtained from
a closely simulated
examination. For
example, a past
examination paper
which is unfamiliar to
the students, near to
the time of the
examination, using the
exam board mark
scheme and grade
boundaries. The
closest Core Maths
students can get to this
at the moment is using
a specimen
examination paper,
with predicted grade
boundaries. There may
also be practice papers
available for this
purpose. However,
teachers will want to
leave these papers
until close to the end of
the course, making use
of formative
assessment during the
course.
The MEI Core Maths
resources, which are
available from our
website after
completing the form for
a free subscription,
contain section tests
which are
automatically marked
online and will help to
track student progress.
Terry Dawson
Curriculum
Developer
Email Terry
Page 7
MEI Newsletter
Update on FMSP
Teacher Support
A key aim of the
Further Mathematics
Support Programme
(FMSP) is to support
teachers in schools
and to contribute to
their continuing
professional
development. Last
academic year the
FMSP Area
Coordinators ran
almost 200 events for
teachers for GCSE
Mathematics, A level
Mathematics and A
level Further
Mathematics, which
were attended by over
2000 teachers across
England.
As well as the support
offered by the local
FMSP Area
Coordinators, the
FMSP central team
coordinates an
extensive programme
of online professional
development and
Teaching Further
Mathematics, an
extended course which
attracted over 150
applicants last year.
We have developed
two new extended
courses, Teaching
Mechanics and
Teaching Statistics
which, in addition to
providing subject
knowledge
enhancement, will
support teachers with
the transition to the
new Mathematics and
Further Mathematics A
levels being introduced
for first teaching from
September 2017.
The Teaching
Mechanics programme
has a group starting
early in 2016 and is
now open for
applications:
Teaching Mechanics
1 (TM1)
TM1 is an extended
course for teachers
wishing to develop
their subject knowledge
and classroom practice
in teaching the
Mechanics modules in
A level Mathematics
and Further
Mathematics. TM1
covers the content of all
the M1 and some of the
M2 material of the four
English examination
specifications and will
also prepare teachers
for the compulsory
mechanics in the new
Mathematics A level
starting in 2017. The
course aims to enable
participants to:
tutorials, 2 face-to-face
study days, dedicated
web-based course
resources and support
from the course tutors.
TM1 will run from
February to July 2016
and is now open for
applications. You can
get full details and a
link to the application
form at
furthermaths.org.uk/
teaching-mechanics
TM1 can also be
studied as part of a
Masters programme,
accredited by
Plymouth University.
► gain a deep
understanding of the
content of the
Mechanics units
► develop skills with
mathematical
modelling and
problem solving
► develop confidence
with incorporating
practical work within
maths teaching
► be able to link topics
in Mechanics with
other areas of maths
Teaching Further
Mathematics (TFM)
TFM is an extended
professional
development course
for teachers wishing to
develop their own
subject knowledge and
classroom practice in
teaching A level
Further Mathematics.
► There are two units:
TFM1 and TFM2. It
is possible to enrol
on TFM1 only
► Each unit is
The course includes 10
scheduled live online
scheduled over a 7
month period and
Page 8
December 2015
includes 10
scheduled live
online tutorials (in
the evenings), 2
face-to-face study
days (on Saturdays)
and dedicated webbased course
resources
For more details see:
furthermaths.org.uk/tfm
The TFM1 unit is next
scheduled to start in
January 2016.
Here are just a few of
the comments from
teachers who have
enrolled on the TFM
course:
"The course was
fantastic and I have
used so many of the
resources"
"Actually made me
think about how to
deliver a subject rather
than just teach from
the book"
“TFM is the single
most inspiring thing
that’s having biggest
impact upon my
teaching this year.”
Teacher Networks –
the latest
developments
The number of FMSP
teacher networks
continues to grow and
now exceeds 50
groups across
England. These
groups have become a
more central part of the
way we support local
teachers and the
venues and dates of
forthcoming meetings
are now listed on the
regional teacher
events pages on the
FMSP website. An
interactive map
showing the location of
each network, with
details of the meetings
and contact
information so that
teachers can easily
find the nearest
network to them, will
soon be available on
the FMSP Website.
The teacher networks
will also be the vehicle
through which the
FMSP will roll out a
series of support
meetings for the new A
levels in Mathematics,
using centrally created
resources. The first
few of these meetings
have already taken
place and have been
very well attended and
enthusiastically
received.
In the Spring Term of
2016, some of our
networks will again be
offering the popular
workshops run by Rob
Eastaway of Maths
Inspiration, giving
teachers the chance to
get ideas about how to
invigorate GCSE and A
level lessons with
problem solving and
interesting contexts.
See your regional page
on the FMSP site for
details
Sue de Pomerai
FMSP Deputy
Programme Leader
Email Sue
Page 9
MEI Newsletter
2016 Year 10
Maths Feast
The Maths Feast
seems likely to be
even more popular
than last year. This
competition is run for
teams of Year 10
students and is
designed to test their
mathematical problem
solving,
communication and
team work skills. There
are over 80 venues
Senior Team
Mathematics
Challenge
(STMC) 2015/16
The regional heats of
the STMC are well
under way. This is a
competition organised
jointly by the Further
Mathematics Support
Programme and the
UK Mathematics Trust
and sponsored by
Rolls-Royce plc.
Teams of four
students, from years
11 to 13, tackle a
series of demanding
across the country
ready to accept
bookings from teams
of four Year 10
students accompanied
by their teacher (or
other responsible
adult). Teams are told
to expect the
unexpected! Last year
saw teams building
towers of Columbus
Cubes – what will they
be creating this year?
To book a team into a
Feast near you, go to
the Maths Feast Page
and use the online
booking form.
Cath Moore
FMSP Central
Coordinator (KS4
Enrichment and CPD)
Email Cath
mathematical
challenges which focus
on mathematical
problem solving,
teamwork and
communication skills.
The three rounds
include group problem
solving, a crossnumber puzzle and a
mathematical shuttle
race.
The heats take place
across the UK
throughout November
and December and
enrolment this year
has been at a record
high with over 1200
teams signed up in
over 60 locations.
Competition has been
fierce already with
some excellent scores
being achieved. The
winners of each heat,
together with highest
scoring runners-up will
go on to the national
final in London on 2nd
February.
Paul Chillingworth
FMSP Central
Coordinator
Email Paul
Page 10
December 2015
New post-16
GCSE
Mathematics and
vocational
videos and
guides
MEI recently produced
a series of 27 videos to
support the Education
and Training
Foundation’s Maths
Pipeline Programme.
These videos are
designed for teachers
of post-16 GCSE
Mathematics, and also
to support vocational
practitioners in
embedding maths in
their lessons; however,
many of them would
also be relevant to KS3
and KS4 maths
teachers. The videos
are grouped into three
areas and can be
accessed from the
PDF provided on the
following webpages:
Resit GCSE
Mathematics
These include
examples of activities
that can be used in the
classroom, together
with some worked
examples of GCSE
questions.
Vocational
These include
vocational students
talking about how they
use maths in areas
such as hairdressing,
construction, catering
and caring
occupations, and
sections of them could
also be used with KS3
and KS4 students to
show how the maths
they are learning is
used in the workplace.
Secure estate
These show teaching
practitioners who work
with offenders
discussing maths
teaching activities they
have used.
and many links to
further videos and
materials. They are
available from the
following webpages:
MEI has also
developed four guides
to support the
Education and Training
Foundation’s Maths
Pipeline Programme.
These are designed to
support vocational
practitioners in
embedding maths in
their teaching and
learning, and they
include teaching ideas
► Hairdressing &
► Construction
Beauty Therapy
► Health and Social
Care
► Hospitality and
Catering
Janice Richards
Programme Leader
(Business
Development and
Communications)
Email Janice
Mathematics in Education and Industry
Monckton House
Epsom Centre
White Horse Business Park
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 0XG
Phone: 01225 776776
Fax:
01225 775755
E-mail: office@mei.org.uk
Company registration number: 3265490
Registered Charity Number: 1058911
Websites:
MEI:
mei.org.uk
FMSP:
furthermaths.org.uk
MEI conference:
conference.mei.org.uk
Integral mathematics resources: integralmaths.org
Facebook:
facebook.com/MEIMaths
Twitter:
twitter.com/MEImaths
twitter.com/MEIConference
twitter.com/Integral_Maths
About MEI
Mathematics in
Education and Industry
(MEI) is a membership
organisation and a
charity. Since the 1960s,
MEI has worked to
support mathematics
teaching and learning.
Any income generated
through MEI’s work is
used to support
mathematics education.
MEI emphasises
understanding and
enjoyment of
mathematics and also
highlights the
importance of
mathematics in industry
and commerce.
MEI pioneers the
development of
innovative teaching and
learning resources,
including extensive
online materials to
support all major
examination syllabuses.
MEI offers teachers of all
GCSE and A level
specifications a range of
continuing professional
development (CPD)
courses, provides
specialist tuition for
students and works with
industry to enhance
mathematical skills in
the workplace.
There is a network of
MEI branches around
the country, offering
local support for
teachers.
MEI’s popular A level
specification is
administered by OCR,
with MEI taking
responsibility for the
curriculum, and
providing course
textbooks published by
Hodder Education.
support for teachers of
AS/A level Mathematics
and Further
Mathematics in schools
and colleges throughout
England.
MEI manages the
government-funded
Further Mathematics
Support Programme,
providing advice and
© MEI 2015