The Organisation of Mathematics Provision in Colleges

1. The Organisation of Mathematics Provision in Colleges

2. Outcomes of the study Oonagh Gormley Francis Bove

3. Aims of the Study • Organisational models - strengths and weaknesses • The mathematics team • Quality assurance • Professional development • Resources

4. Methodology • 1 visit per college - questionnaire based on work of Geoff Wake and Val Beamish (LSN / NRDC publication) • ACME report • Ofsted report • Individual Ofsted reports

5. Colleges 11 colleges took part (27 offered to take part out of 54) • BSix Brook House • Capel Manor • CoNEL • Kensington and Chelsea • Lambeth • Leyton SFC • Merton • Richmond • Tower Hamlets • West London and Hammersmith • West Thames

6. Range of ProvisionTypes of College surveyed • FE • Tertiary • Sixth Form • Adult • Specialist • Size • Number of sites

7. Range of provision • GCE A level Mathematics – the full range • GCSE Mathematics • Free Standing Mathematics Units • Key Skills Application of Number • Mathematics embedded in other courses • Skills for Life Numeracy • Learning support

8. Organisational structures • Model 1 Skills for Life department Oversees numeracy, literacy, ICT, learning support etc Mathematics department. Oversees GCSE, GCE and other academic mathematics courses

9. Organisational structures • Model 2 Academic Studies department. Oversees GCSE, GCE and other academic courses. The department includes mathematicsteachers. Skills for Life department Oversees numeracy, literacy, ICT, learning support etc

10. Questions 1 Who represents Mathematics on the SMT in your college? Who oversees Mathematics provision in your college?.......and this includes all the vocational mathematics, Skills for Life, Learning support Numeracy….. How well does communication and liaison work? How well is mathematics represented?

11. Recommendations 1 Mathematics is an important subject in the curriculum as a subject in its own right as well as being a tool that supports every other subject and vocational course offered. College structures should be organised to reflect this importance, ensuring that mathematics has a voice that can be heard at a senior level. One possible strategy would be to ensure that one member of the SMT has a remit for mathematics across the college .

12. Teams • 6 out of 11 colleges have a Head of Mathematics • 4 out of 11 colleges have cross college meetings for all mathematics teachers • Mathematics teams often meet infrequently (only one third meet more often than twice a term) • Meetings often focus on operational issues and do not set aside sufficient time to Teaching and Learning issues

13. Recommendations 2 College structures should support a team approach to the teaching of the subject, encouraging teachers of mathematics (in all its forms) to work together sharing resources, strategies and ideas and being able to support each other in their work

14. Recommendations 3 Mathematics in all its forms represents a significant proportion of the whole college provision. Colleges should consider carrying out an audit of mathematics, establishing the extent of this provision and reviewing the accommodation strategy so that appropriate dedicated accommodation is provided. The audit questionnaire devised by Wake and Beamish might be helpful in this regard

15. Recommendations 4 Every College should consider setting up a cross college mathematics team and all colleagues who teach mathematics in all its forms should be strongly encouraged (perhaps even expected) to attend. This team should meet regularly (at least twice a term) and ‘teaching and learning’ issues should form a major part of the meeting.

16. Questions 2 • How often does the mathematics team meet in your college? • Are ALL mathematics teachers involved? • How often is Teaching and Learning discussed? • What can be done to encourage stronger team working across the whole range of mathematics provision? • What advantages might be gained from working together more closely?

17. Quality Issues • All colleges organise formal lesson observations. • A few colleges also organise developmental lesson observation including peer observations. • Some teachers are never observed teaching mathematics. • Some observers are not mathematics teachers.

18. Questions 3 How could observation schemes be strengthened to ensure that mathematics pedagogy is a central aspect of the process?

19. Recommendation 5 Colleges should consider including observation of mathematics teaching as a specific requirement into the observation schedule for all teachers of mathematics. This observation should be carried out by managers with expertise and experience in mathematics education. This observation should include a component that specifically explores mathematics pedagogy issues.

20. Professional Development • Most of the activity centred on one-day one-off courses • Around a quarter of the professional development was based on collaborative network activities • Struggle for mathematics managers to ensure that whole-college activity included adequate subject-based content

21. Professional Development

22. Subject Learning Coaches 1 • 7 out of the 11 colleges have an active SLC for Mathematics • Only 2 colleges have fully incorporated the SLC work into the college organisation – often contributions are rather ad-hoc

23. Subject Learning Coaches 2 Activities SLCs are involved in: • Running PD sessions with the mathematics team • Disseminating good practice • Working 1:1 with colleagues • Encouraging a more active approach to learning • Running workshops for new teachers or colleagues on ITT courses • Mentoring • Clinics to follow up on appraisal outcomes

24. Recommendation 6 Colleges should consider the opportunities afforded by the role of ‘Mathematics Subject Learning Coach’ and seek to incorporate this role into the teacher support structures in the college. This might include the development of a clear description of the role and responsibilities along with consideration of a time allowance for carrying out this work.

25. Using Technology • All colleges have access to Interactive whiteboards • Often IWB s only used by some teachers • Graph plotting packages well used • Little use is made of geometry packages (Cabri or Geometers sketchpad), spreadsheets • Many teachers are not confident about using technology to support their teaching • Technology is most used with A level groups • Individual learning packages most used in Key Skills and GCSE revision • A few colleges exploring the use of VLEs

26. Recommendation 7 Mathematics teachers in colleges should consider the opportunities presented by technology and explore making a fuller use of the resources incorporating appropriate activities into schemes of work and lesson plans. College managers should carry out a full audit of the ILT resources available to teachers ensuring that appropriate equipment and software is available and accessible and that teachers are given opportunities to develop their on skills in making use of this technology.

27. Questions 5 How well is technology used in your college? How can managers support and encourage teachers to make better use of the possibilities afforded by technology ?