1. What are we learning from PISA and TIMSS?
Gwen Tresidder:
Communications Manager,
NCETM

2. How well are we doing? TIMSS (Y9) PISA (15 yr olds)
Source: Mathematical Association

3. What about our lower attainers?
TIMSS (Y9)
PISA:
“England’s lowest achievers have mathematics skills that are significantly below the mathematics skills of the lowest achievers in several other countries. It is also notable how the bottom 10 per cent of mathematics performers in England trail those in Northern Ireland and Scotland, despite both countries having very similar average mathematics scores to England.”
Graph bigger on next slide
TIMSS report noted that most of England’s recent improvements were down to more children reaching the lower benchmarks.
PISa highlighted the performance of England’s lowest achievers as a weakness of our education system, with an 8-year gap between lowest and highest achievers noted.

4. TIMSS Sample question (Y9)

5. PISA Sample question Question 1:
To estimate the total floor area of the apartment (including the terrace and the walls), you can measure the size of each room, calculate the area of each one and add all the areas together. However, there is a more efficient method to estimate the total floor area where you only need to measure 4 lengths. Mark on the plan above the four lengths that are needed to estimate the total floor area of the apartment.

6. Y5 to Y9 progress (TIMSS) This graph has been seen previously.
The high performing countries score highly on this progress element. And Kazakhastan (who’s average score is now very close to ours but was way below previously)

7. Areas for further investigation
Time: There was no association found (Y9 or Y5) between more time devoted to learning maths and higher average achievement
CPD: England’s teachers appear to receive more than most
Gender: Boys did better (6pts) than girls in TIMSS (Y5). Boys do much better (12pts) in PISA maths than girls (not true of science (equal) and reading (girls better)). Maths is the only subject where boys outperform girls at GCSE and numbers at A level are skewed
Homework: There appears to be some association between more homework (but only up to 3 hrs p.w.) and higher achievement – more detail is needed

8. Time spent learning maths – Y9
There was no association found (Y9 or Y5) between more time devoted to maths teaching and higher average achievement.
Y5 time spent learning maths (189 hours,19%) is above the international mean)

9. Aspects of professional development undertaken by year 5 teachers of maths over the past two years and the percentage of pupils taught by these

10. Boys versus girls (TIMSS)
Note 1: Asterisks denote significant differences in achievement between genders.

11. Boys versus girls (PISA)

12. Homework
There is an association between pupils spending 45 mins - 3 hrs on homework, compared to less than 45 mins, and average achievement (those spending longer do better, but not when over 3 hours). Countries with similar homework times reported did both significantly better and worse than England.
(No homework data collected for Y5)

13. Who could we learn from?
PISA: (England = 493) High performers: Singapore 564; Hong Kong 548; Macao 544; Taipei 542; Japan 532; BSJG (provinces of China) 531; South Korea 524. Western leading countries: Switzerland 521, Estonia 520 Falling from previously: Finland, Netherlands, Belgium TIMSS: England (546, 518) High performers: Singapore (618, 621) Hong Kong (615, 594) S. Korea (608,606) Taiwan (597, 599) Japan (593, 586) Russia (564, 538) One to watch: Kazakhstan (Y5: 501 to 544) (Y9: 487 to 523) Falling from 2011: Finland

14. How is the NCETM learning from high performers?
NCETM working with Maths Hubs:
China ~ England exchange:
Singapore textbook/CPD project

15. England ~ China Exchange
70 English primary teachers (though 2015/16 was for secondary teachers)
Spend 2 weeks observing lessons and teacher research groups (TRGs) in Shanghai. Each pair of teachers visits 2 schools.
Later in the year, 70 teachers from Shanghai visit 35 primary schools in England
Lessons are observed by teachers from the participating school and others (up to 100) from schools in the Maths Hub area

16. Teachers observe a lesson in a school hall in Doncaster

17. Learning lessons from Shanghai
Coherent, prescribed, mathematical journey is followed by every child
Pervasive belief that all can succeed at maths – whole class learning to support this
Strong professional learning model for teachers (time and structures for collaborative work)
Slower pace, breaking concepts down
Depth rather than acceleration
Conceptual understanding and procedural fluency developed in tandem

18. Applying what we have learned
Teaching for mastery
Importance of learning lessons and applying them in the English school context
Mastery Specialist programmes
Work of the Mastery Specialists with local schools
Early evidence (anecdotal and concrete)
TfM page on the NCETM website for more info