NCETM: Moving Forwards with a Primary Agenda The National STEM Centre Primary Mathematics Conference 2012 Laurie Jacques Director for Primary

2 The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics NCETM is a consortium managed by Tribal Education in partnership with Myscience, Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), and the Institute of Education, University of London (IOE); it is funded by the Department forTribal EducationMyscienceMathematics in Education and Industry (MEI)Institute of Education, University of London (IOE)Department for Education (DfE)Education (DfE). The NCETM

3 The NCETM vision to ensure all teachers of mathematics - from early years to the post-compulsory sector - have access to high quality continuing professional development (CPD). It will do this through developing a sustainable programme of mathematics CPD to support national teaching schools and other improvement partners in their work with schools and teachers.

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Mathematical Proficiency Mathematical proficiency requires a focus on core knowledge and procedural fluency so that pupils can carry out mathematical procedures flexibly, accurately, consistently, efficiently, and appropriately. Procedures and understanding are developed in tandem. Arithmetic Proficiency, Algebraic Proficiency, Geometric Proficiency and Statistical Proficiency. 5

6 Arithmetic Proficiency Arithmetical Proficiency is the appreciation and sense of number and number operations that enable mental calculations and written procedures to be performed efficiently, fluently and accurately.

Memorisation, accuracy and fluency vs understanding and reasoning because: Children who do not understand what they are doing often make errors when choosing and carrying out procedures, cannot reconstruct steps, cannot self-monitor their work, and cannot check for reasonableness. Reasoning with numbers is fundamental to making connections within and beyond mathematics. Secondary mathematics and employment depend on understanding and reasoning with number. Life in a global changing economy requires adaptability; it is difficult to be adaptable if you do not understand what you are doing. (ACME Report on Primary Arithmetic, 2010) 7

Improving children’s Arithmetic Proficiency Findings from Ofsted: practical, hands-on experiences of using, comparing and calculating with numbers and quantities understanding of place value, fluency in mental methods, and good recall of number facts such as multiplication tables and number bonds subtraction is generally introduced alongside its inverse operation, addition, and division alongside its inverse, multiplication. high-quality teaching secures pupils’ understanding of structure and relationships in number. (Good Practice in Primary Mathematics, Ofsted, 2011) 8

Improving children’s arithmetical proficiency What can we learn from effective systems? 9

10 Finland ●Inclusive Ethos ●Problem solving ●Text books ●Teaching ●Teaching practice during initial teacher education ●Mathematics pedagogy in primary teacher education Improving children’s arithmetical proficiency (Finnish’ Pupils Success in Mathematics, OfSTED, 2010)

Classroom teaching practices Classroom conditions Teacher education (Leung et al, 2005) 11 Improving children’s arithmetic proficiency Hong Kong

Computational skills along with more conceptual and strategic thinking; Fewer topics, in-depth, carefully sequenced Concepts in one year, with increasing levels of advancement in later years; Mastery Mathematical representation of problems 12 Improving children’s arithmetic proficiency Singapore

Improving children’s arithmetic proficiency 13 (Ministry of Education, Singapore, 2006) Singapore

But we are not in Singapore or Finland, or Hong Kong 14 Arithmetic Proficiency: a national priority for primary schools: What can we learn from some effective systems?

Key principles to which we can aspire Mathematics in Singapore does not rely on rote learning of facts and procedures without the underlying understanding required to use them effectively. Improving pupils’ attitudes likely to raise achievement High expectations; Concrete, pictorial, abstract (CPA); Visual problem solving strategies; Focus on number and calculation from the beginning. 15

The NCETM Professional Development Lead Support Programme Schools ‘Improvement Agents’:e.g. Teaching Schools, LAs, Independent Consultants NCETM “Expert Leads” Primary CPD providers Primary Lead Mathematics Teachers Secondary CPD providers Secondary Lead Mathematics Teachers 16

The NCETM PD Lead Support Programme - 3 phases Residential 1 Interim CPD task Residential 2 17

The NCETM PD Lead Support Programme Objectives reinforce and develop understanding of the characteristics of quality CPD in mathematics; consider the relationship between procedural fluency and understanding, focusing on the use of algorithms; understand what is meant by ‘Arithmetic Proficiency’; be equipped to present Arithmetic Proficiency training for lead teachers. 18

The NCETM PD Lead Support Programme Outcomes Accredited provider in an ‘approved’ school. Mathematics Proficiency Provider directory Steps towards the NCETM CPD Standard Collaborative Teacher Projects 19

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