Messages from Ofsted

Ofsted expects … … teachers to use their subject and pedagogical expertise to provide high quality teaching and curricular experiences in order to secure the best possible learning and outcomes for their pupils.

An expectation that all pupils can and will achieve. The large majority of pupils progress through the curriculum content at the same pace. Differentiation emphasises deep knowledge and individual support/intervention. Teaching is underpinned by methodical curriculum design, with units of work that focus in depth on key topics. Lessons and resources are crafted carefully to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge. Practice and consolidation play a central role. Well-designed variation builds fluency and understanding of underlying mathematical concepts in tandem. Teachers use precise questioning to check conceptual and procedural knowledge. They assess in lessons to identify who requires intervention so that all pupils keep up. The NC: A Mastery Curriculum…

A mastery curriculum often involves whole-class teaching, with all pupils being taught the same concepts at the same time. Small-group work typically involves challenge through greater depth for the ‘rapid graspers’ and support with grasping concepts and methods for pupils who have more difficulty. ‘Intelligent practice’ through tasks and exercises usually concentrates on the same topic/method/concept but varies in how the questions are presented, often in ways that expose the underlying concept or mathematical structure, and makes pupils think deeply for themselves. Taken from the NCETM Developing Mastery in Mathematics Oct 2014 The NC: A Mastery Curriculum…

What do you think inspectors expect to see in relation to mathematics teaching? … would it be different where schools are teaching for mastery?

Are any of the points in conflict with teaching for mastery?

”It’s brilliant that acceleration in maths is out and depth is in!” Jane Jones Ofsted’s National Lead for Mathematics

Opportunities The new National Curriculum: captures, in its aims, the best mathematical education for all pupils; represents greater ambition for all pupils, especially the lower attainers; emphasises depth over acceleration; gives us the chance to think afresh about progression, the wider aims and conceptual links; provides a context for teachers and schools to learn from each other and together.

”Acknowledge the challenges then set about overcoming them.” Jane Jones Ofsted’s National Lead for Mathematics

Challenges Teachers’ subject expertise: – ‘new’ mathematics content – the NC aims: how to teach reasoning, problem solving for all/the ‘rapid graspers’; the meaning of fluency Expectations and progression: – gaps between where pupils are now and the programme of study they are learning/due to learn – higher demand, especially for lower attainers and SEN – differentiation; challenge for the ‘rapid graspers’ Teachers’ worries about demonstrating pupils’ progress: – in lessons – for performance management/inspection

More challenges Assessment without NC levels, and the quality of national assessments Transition between: schools, key stages, one year to the next, one lesson to the next, one mathematical idea to the next, … Capacity: – recruitment and retention of suitably qualified staff and subject leaders – availability of local/in-school expert help

“In the past differentiation was often achieved by a teacher preparing different activities or worksheets for different groups of pupils. Now there are other ways, consistent with the new curriculum and a mastery approach, of catering for different attainment levels within a classroom.” Jane Jones Ofsted’s National Lead for Mathematics

Challenge through depth 1.Work out (999 – ) ÷ 9 Can you do it another way? 2.P, Q, R, S and T represent single digits in this subtraction. Find their values. 7Q2ST −P3R

Support through intervention How does the school intervene swiftly to help those having difficulty to make sure they keep up? Scaffolding work to make it accessible Same-day intervention Pre-teaching Highly effective in-class TA support

”We need to get workload in proportion. Teachers are spending time marking when they should be planning quality lessons.” Jane Jones Ofsted’s National Lead for Mathematics

Myth-busting … Ofsted recognises that marking and feedback to pupils, both written and oral, are important aspects of assessment. However, Ofsted does not expect to see any specific frequency, type or volume of marking and feedback; these are for the school to decide through its assessment policy. Marking and feedback should be consistent with that policy, which may cater for different subjects and different age groups of pupils in different ways, in order to be effective and efficient in promoting learning.

”If it’s not useful, don’t do it… definitely don’t do it for Ofsted!” Jane Jones Ofsted’s National Lead for Mathematics