MEI Newsletter
Mathematics in Education and Industry
From the Chief Executive
►
New mathematics A levels
►
New OCR(MEI) AS/A levels
►
The use of technology in the teaching and learning of
mathematics at AS/A level
New
mathematics
A levels
MEI’s work supports
AS/A level
Mathematics and
Further Mathematics
teaching across all
awarding body
specifications and we
have set up new
webpages on the MEI
and FMSP websites to
give impartial, up-todate information and
expert advice on the
new mathematics A
levels, which are being
introduced for first
teaching from
September 2017.
Please see Janice
Richards’ article on
page 2 for more
details, including a
detailed analysis of the
content changes and
links to our new web
pages.
New OCR(MEI)
AS/A levels
Development work for
the new mathematics
A levels is now nearing
completion and in June
the awarding bodies
will be submitting their
specifications and
specimen assessment
materials to Ofqual,
and publishing them on
their websites as pre-
accreditation drafts.
OCR will publish the
new MEI specifications
and assessment
materials at this time.
Stella Dudzic’s article
on page 3 explains
how you could still
influence the
development of the
new OCR(MEI)
mathematics A levels.
Preparation for the
new mathematics A
levels will be a major
theme of this year’s
MEI Conference.
In our support
materials we are using
different symbols to
clarify support that
applies to all A level
specifications:
and support specific to
the OCR(MEI)
specifications:
The use of
technology in
the teaching
and learning
of
mathematics
a t AS / A l e v e l
February 2016
Inside this issue:
A levels 2017
2
New MEI AS and A 3
levels
Focus of the
3
MEI Conference
4-5
Core Maths
resources and
CPD
6
Cambridge
Mathematics
Education Project
7
Summer school
‘The use of technology, for teachers new
to A level
in particular
mathematical and
Integral at BETT
statistical graphing
tools and
GeoGebra
spreadsheets, must
Institute of MEI:
permeate the study of guides, tasks and
AS and A level
Senior Team
mathematics.’
Mathematics
Challenge 2015/16
MEI has long held the
view that the teaching Further
Mathematics
and learning of
mathematics can be
greatly enhanced
through the use of
technology, and has
developed
considerable expertise
in supporting teachers
to make effective use
of technology in the
classroom.
7
An important emphasis
for the new A levels
relates to the use of
technology. The DfE
content document,
which sets out the
requirements for the
new mathematics A
level, states:
Continued on page 2
8
8
9
10
Page 2
MEI Newsletter
The use of
technology in
the teaching
and learning
of mathemati c s a t AS / A
level
(con tin ued fro m
page 1)
The new mathematics
A levels provide a
strong catalyst to
encourage teachers
of A level
Mathematics to
ensure they are
making the most of
technology to
enhance their
students’ learning.
MEI’s resources and
support for A level
Mathematics already
include many
resources to support
the use of
spreadsheets,
graphing tools and
graphical calculators,
and the resources
and professional
development
programmes we are
developing for the
new mathematics A
levels will enhance
this further.
The Mathematics A
levels were last
reformed for first
teaching in 2004, so
by the time teaching
of the new
mathematics A levels
begins in September
2017 they will have
been unchanged for
13 years. In that time,
the way in which
technology is used for
mathematical and
statistical analysis has
developed
dramatically, as has
students’ familiarity
and facility with
technology.
We must embrace the
opportunity to ensure
the use of technology
will ‘permeate the
study of AS and A
level mathematics’.
This is vital not just
because it is a
requirement of the
new A levels but, far
more importantly,
because it greatly
enhances students’
learning and because,
if we don’t, studying A
level Mathematics will
seem increasingly
irrelevant to students
who understand just
how important
technology is to the
ways mathematics
and statistics are
used in the world
outside of education.
Charlie Stripp
Chief Executive
Email Charlie
Get on track for the new maths AS/A levels:
On Your Marks, Get Set…
New AS and A levels
in Mathematics and
Further Mathematics
are being introduced in
England for first
teaching from
September 2017.
The full details have
not yet been
confirmed, but it’s
already clear that they
will be different from
the current
qualifications. In
addition to the new
linear structure and
fixed content for AS/A
level Mathematics,
there will be a greater
emphasis on problem
solving, reasoning and
modelling, and a
requirement for the use
of technology to
permeate teaching and
learning.
We’re planning to
provide you with the
best source of impartial
advice and information,
so that you can keep
up to date with the
latest details. We’ll
also provide a package
of support to help you
prepare, including
professional
development,
resources and other
materials, such as a
suggested scheme of
work.
To find out more visit
our dedicated
webpage, watch the
video, and register for
free updates. Also visit
the dedicated FMSP
webpage.
Janice Richards
Programme Leader
(Business
Development and
Communications)
Email Janice
Page 3
Feb 2016
Want to know more about MEI’s plans for AS and A level
Mathematics and Further Mathematics?
We’d like to have your
views on what we
have done so far.
Listening to teachers
is important to MEI.
We are nearing
completion of the
development of new
MEI AS and A levels
in Mathematics and
Further Mathematics.
If you can get
teachers together
from your own and
neighbouring schools
and would like us to
come and talk to you
for about an hour
about our plans,
please let us know.
Stella Dudzic
Keith Proffitt
Programme Leader
(Curriculum and
Resources)
Curriculum
Developer for MEI
Email Stella
Email Keith
Focus of the Month
Have you seen the
‘Focus of the Month’
items on our home
pages? These
highlight topical areas
of interest and provide
a handy summary of
all related support we
offer.
Our February focus is
on Teacher Career
Development:
December 2015
January 2016
You can find all of our
past editions here,
and those for the
FMSP here.
Janice Richards
If you missed the last
two, click on the
following images:
Programme Leader
(Business
Development and
Communications)
Email Janice
Page 4
MEI Newsletter
Page 5
Feb 2016
MEI Conference sponsored by
The MEI Conference
will return to the
University of Bath from
30 June to 2 July.
The deadline for
registration is 20 June.
We are grateful to our
main sponsor Casio
for their continued
support.
As ever, we’re excited
about the programme.
We believe that there’s
something to appeal to
every mathematics
teacher. In addition to
plenaries from Charlie
Stripp, Professor
Andy Noyes and Dr
Vicky Neale, there’s
an after dinner speech
from Jonny Griffiths.
There is also a wide
variety of sessions.
Here’s just a taster of
what’s on offer:
Enrichment
GSCE Resit
►The wonders of A4
►Using REAL
KS3 and KS4
► Geometry and
►Activities based on
Proof
the work of female
mathematicians
A level Further
Mathematics
►Using graphing
► Using GeoGebra in
Functional Skills
Further Pure Maths
►The art of choosing
technology in GCSE
Maths
A level Mathematics
►Further Pure with
► New GCSE topics
for resit teachers
examples
Technology
►Teaching for
with graphing
technology
Use of dynamic
imagery and ICT in
teaching
Mathematicians
►Active Learning in
►Large Data sets in
► Teaching calculus
A level Pure Maths
Level 3 Core Maths
the new Mathematics
A level mathematics
►Core maths: a
►Teaching Statistics
teacher’s
perspective
►Assessment in
in the new A level
using graphing
technology
Core Maths
“All absolutely
brilliant. My first
time here and I will
be back. Excellent
speakers.”
The Exhibition on
Friday provides a
valuable opportunity to
meet representatives
from organisations
supporting
mathematics teaching,
and to view
demonstrations and
samples of new
products and services.
Context in GCSE
Lessons
The Delegate
Challenge will take
place on Friday, in and
around the Exhibition.
We will also be
celebrating ten years
of ‘Maths item of the
month’.
A few of the comments
we received at the
2015 conference:
“I have had a great
time exchanging
ideas with fellow
maths teachers.
Great discussions.
The sessions have
been thought
provoking and given
me so much to take
back to the
department.”
“The conference is
not just for maths
but treats us as a
community.
Well
Discounts
and grants
done MEI!”
Mastery in Secondary
Mathematics
►Rene Descartes
►Martin Gardner
You can view the
whole session list
here; we advise that
you book your
sessions in advance
(from April).
“Excellent as usual.
Will definitely
recommend as a
good use of CPD
budget for next
year.”
If you are a practising
UK teacher you may be
interested in applying for
an LMS CPD grant to
help cover your
conference costs.
We can offer a discount
to full time students
(undergraduate and
postgraduate) and those
in initial teacher training.
Please email to request
information.
For further details and
to register please visit:
conference.mei.org.uk
Page 6
MEI Newsletter
Planning to teach Core Maths from September 2017?
Teachers who have
students currently
studying either of our
two Core Maths
qualifications,
Quantitative
Reasoning or
Quantitative Problem
Solving, may have
already attended one
of the OCR
professional
development sessions,
which have been
taking place around
the country since
September 2015.
At the most recent
event, in London, there
was also a number of
teachers from schools
that were considering
offering the course
next year.
There are still some
places available on the
remaining courses,
which are free of
charge:
►25 Feb 2016 Exeter
►10 March 2016
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Further details and
booking can be found
at the OCR CPD hub
link. Each day consists
of two separate half
day sessions –
teachers who want to
come to both need to
book each of them
separately.
In the first of the
sessions, we explain
the intentions of the
course and the system
of assessment. We
also discuss different
ways of delivering the
course and show
teachers where they
can get schemes of
work and support in
other aspects of
teaching the course.
Throughout the
session several
examples of teaching
resources are
explored, to illustrate
aspects of the subject
content and key
features of the
qualifications.
The second session
focusses on problem
solving, which is a key
feature of Core Maths.
Using classroom
resources, we explore
how the problem solving
cycles contained in the
specifications can be
used to reinforce
effective strategies. We
discuss teaching
approaches aimed at
developing personal
qualities such as
resilience and
communication skills,
and the importance of
such qualities to higher
education and
employers. Using
examples of student
activities we discuss
how problem solving
can be used to
introduce students to
mathematical and
statistical concepts, and
how this lies at the heart
of Core Maths.
For teachers unable to
make either of the two
remaining days, we are
offering adapted, live
online versions of these
two sessions on 21
April and 27 April.
These resources,
available from Oxfam,
help to bring maths to
life by exploring how
inequality and poverty
affect the lives of
young people in
different parts of the
world, including the
UK.
Created in partnership
The maths resources
enable learners to use
Terry Dawson
Curriculum
Developer for MEI
Email Terry
More or Less Equal?
with Young Lives and
with the support of
subject associations,
More or Less Equal?
has separate sessions
in maths, geography
and English which can
be used in both a
subject-specific and
cross-curricular way
with learners aged 11
to 16.
MEI has produced
resources for teaching
all aspects of our Core
Maths qualifications.
Thanks to OCR
funding, these are
available free of
charge to all existing
and intending teachers
of the OCR/MEI Core
Maths qualifications. If
you are thinking of
teaching these
qualifications next
year, why not get
access to the
resources now to help
you with your
planning? To get
access to the
resources, register
online.
real-life data to develop
a range of mathematical
skills including: using
fractions and
percentages, problem
solving and data
handling.
poverty on young
people for 15 years.
You may find the
resources particularly
useful for running Core
Maths taster sessions
for year 11.
More or Less Equal? is
based on data collected
in Ethiopia, India, Peru
and Viet Nam by Young
Lives, an international
research project
exploring the effects of
Stella Dudzic
Programme Leader
(Curriculum and
Resources)
Email Stella
Page 7
Feb 2016
Cambridge Mathematics Education Project
The Cambridge
Mathematics Education
Project (CMEP) is an
initiative, funded by a
grant from the DfE,
which provides
innovative resources to
help support and inspire
teachers and students
of A level mathematics
and similar
qualifications.
MEI is running a series
of 2-day CPD courses
entitled CMEP: Using
the resources
effectively in your A
level classroom.
A problem from the CMEP resources
These courses are
designed to maximise
the impact of the CMEP
resources in the
classroom, and are free
of charge to A level
Mathematics teachers
from state-funded
schools and colleges.
The course includes
access to the CMEP
website for you and
your school. The dates
for courses this term
can be found at
mei.org.uk/cmep and
further dates will be
added shortly.
If you would like to
host a CMEP course
please contact Lorna
Kerr.
Bernard Murphy
Programme Leader
(Teacher Support)
Email Bernard
Can you work out the ratio AB/OC in each
of these cases?
Summer school for teachers new to A level Mathematics
The National STEM
Centre, in conjunction
with MEI, is running a
four day summer
school for teachers
new to teaching A level
mathematics. The
course is designed for
teachers who are new
to teaching or have
limited experience of
teaching A level.
The course
concentrates upon
pedagogy and it is
expected that
participants have a
good understanding of
the mathematical
content at advanced
level.
The course runs 22-25
August 2016 and the
fees are covered by an
Enthuse bursary.
If you are taking on a
new teacher from
September who will be
teaching A level for the
first time then this
course will be ideal for
them.
For more details about
the course and how to
apply visit the National
STEM Centre
website.
Tom Button
Learning
Technologies
Specialist, MEI
Email Tom
Page 8
MEI Newsletter
Integral at BETT
You can find out more
about all the latest
developments with
Integral, including
YouTube videos
showing its key
functionality and the
new resources on our
Help pages.
MEI exhibited its
Integral A level
Mathematics and
Further Mathematics
resources at the BETT
education technology
show in London in
January this year. The
Integral stand was very
popular with many
hundreds of visitors
over the four day
event, from all over the
world.
As we move towards
new A levels in
Mathematics and
Further Mathematics
which will emphasise
the use of technology,
new Integral
resources strongly
encourage students to
use technology to
explore mathematical
ideas themselves and
support teachers’ use
of technology.
Visitors to the stand
were able to see
demonstrations of new
learning
walkthroughs, which
are sequences of
exploratory GeoGebra
tasks. The vast array of
teaching resources and
ideas, high quality
notes, exercises, online
tests and interactive
resources available in
Integral also attracted a
great deal of interest.
Integral supports
mathematics teachers
to make their lessons as
effective as possible
and students in their
own learning.
Please get in touch
with the team for any
information about
Integral. We’re happy
to call you to provide
advice, or arrange oneto-one online webinars
to make sure you get
the most from Integral.
Richard Lissaman
Online Resources
Coordinator
Email Richard
GeoGebra Institute of MEI
As part of our work as
a GeoGebra Institute
we have produced a
series of self-study
“How-to” guides for
teachers wanting to
learn how to use
GeoGebra.
We have also
produced classroom
tasks for studentcentred use of
GeoGebra for many
GCSE, A level and
Further Mathematics
topics.
These can be found at
mei.org.uk/geogebra
In addition to the MEI
and FMSP courses
that we run, we can
also provide bespoke
courses at your
school/college. To
discuss this please
contact Tom Button.
Tom Button
Learning
Technologies
Specialist, MEI
Email Tom
Page 9
Feb 2016
Senior Team Mathematics Challenge 2015/16
The FMSP/UKMT
Senior Team
Mathematics
Challenge regional
heats took place during
November and
December 2015. Sixtythree heats across the
UK were organised by
FMSP Area
Coordinators,
Associates and School
Volunteers, and by the
United Kingdom
Mathematics Trust
(UKMT), with
sponsorship from Rolls
-Royce plc. The
competition continues
to grow annually and
this year 1280 schools
or colleges each
entered a team of four
students from years 11
and above.
The challenges and
problems produced for
the STMC provide
excellent materials to
help schools/colleges
to develop their
students’ mathematical
problem solving skills.
Past materials are
available via the FMSP
and the UKMT
websites. Here you will
find advice on how to
approach each round
of the competition and
all the rounds from
previous years.
The National Final of
the STMC took place
at the Royal
Horticultural Halls in
Westminster on 2nd
February 2016 with 86
teams, all the winners
from the regional heats
plus best runners-up,
taking part. This is a
record number of
teams and reflects the
huge interest in the
competition.
After three hours of
intense mathematical
activity there was
nothing between the
three top teams, and
so the joint STMC
champions for 2015-16
are King Edward’s
School, Birmingham,
Ruthin School, North
Wales, and
Westminster School.
The prizes were
presented by Dr. Peter
Neumann of Oxford
University.
The photographs to the
right show the three
joint winners of the main
competition
(King Edwards School,
Ruthin School and
Westminster School)
pictured with:
(back row, left to right)
Kevin Lord, FMSP
Programme Leader;
Rachel Greenhalgh,
Director, UKMT;
Alex Cruz, UKMT;
Dr Peter M. Neumann,
OBE, Emeritus Fellow,
Queen's College,
Oxford.
Pictured below are the
winners of the poster
competition, Backwell
School.
At the final the teams
also create a
mathematical poster.
The competition this
year was on the topic
of Kirkman’s schoolgirl
problem and Steiner
systems. As well as
providing background
information on the
topic, students had to
answer three
questions, one of
which was:
“Show that there is
essentially only one
Steiner triple system
with 7 points”.
The poster competition
was won by Backwell
School, near Bristol,
with runners-up Myton
School, Warwick and
Bournemouth School.
Paul Chillingworth,
STMC Coordinator
Email Paul
Page 10
MEI Newsletter
Further Mathematics Support Programme
The FMSP is nearing
the end of the second
year of its current
contract with the DfE
and planning is
underway for 2016-17.
Over the last two
years, the FMSP has
provided enrichment
opportunities for
around 30 000
students in years 9, 10
and 11, helping to
promote the study of A
level Mathematics and
Further Mathematics.
Over 5500 teachers
have attended CPD
organised by the
FMSP.
These courses range
from one-day events
and online courses to
year-long extended
courses, on a range of
topics in GCSE and A
level Mathematics,
including problemsolving, use of
technology and subject
leadership.
The FMSP is able to
offer schools and
colleges
comprehensive
support for improving A
level provision and
participation.
The FMSP is working
closely with Maths
Hubs, the NCETM and
the Core Maths
Support Programme to
help ensure that
support for Level 3
mathematics is
coordinated effectively.
In March, the FMSP
Area Coordinators will
meet with Core Maths
Leads and
representatives from
the Maths Hubs to
discuss how to work
cooperatively to
improve opportunities
for students post-16.
Kevin Lord
Programme Leader
(FMSP)
Email Kevin
FMSP teacher support
The FMSP website has
current information
about the changes and
details of the support
provided by the FMSP.
This will be added to
once the specifications
and specimen
assessments are
published.
Over the next 18
months the FMSP will
be providing support to
schools and colleges in
a variety of ways to
help prepare teachers
for the introduction of
the new A levels in
Mathematics and
Further Mathematics.
FMSP Area
Coordinators have
already begun
providing information
and opportunities for
teachers to discuss the
implications of the
changes at teacher
network meetings
across England. To
date, there have been
more than 20 such
meetings and these
will continue through
into the summer term.
Throughout March and
April, Rob Eastaway
will be delivering a
series of eleven
network sessions in
venues around
England on topics such
as ‘Puzzles and their
vital role in
mathematics’ and ‘The
hidden mathematics of
sport’.
For details of meetings
in your region see the
FMSP Teacher
Networks page.
Jeff Trim
FMSP Central
Coordinator
Email Jeff
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
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
twitter.com/furthermaths
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, A level and Core
Maths 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 2016