Why this is leading practice
This Leading Aspect Award application is concerned with analysing external and internal test results to identify weaknesses and to inform future teaching and learning. There are four distinct areas:
1. Testing and recording (administered by the teacher). External testing.
2. Identifying areas of weakness
3. Providing individual and personalised learning through interactive computer programs (student centred)
4. Monitoring of progress and development of skills.
This process enables pupils to make further progress and raise their personal level of achievement.
Impact to date
- Improvement of GCSE results
- Pupils taking responsibility for their own learning
- Increase of pupils’ self esteem
- More effective teaching and learning due to the in-depth data analysis, pinpointing each student strengths and weaknesses
- Other departments (SEN and music) have adapted the system for their own use
- 2 primary schools now using data in a similar way to improve their teaching and learning of the subject.
- Links with other subjects leading to the re drafting of the Maths schemes of work, in order to ensure that topics are taught at specific times, in line with requirements from other subjects.
- Formal and informal training sessions done by the Head of Department for colleagues from Hodge Hill and to colleagues from other schools during a Birmingham Network Training Day
Rationale / Start Point
There is a school emphasis on Assessment for Learning and we need to get pupils to take responsibility for their own learning. This application is to show that we are developing pupils to:
• Become more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses
• Work towards being independent learners
Key Strategies
- Regular testing of students to determine strengths and weaknesses
- Personalised data leading to the production of IEPs, through the use of the WORD mailmerge facility.
- Pupils’ weaknesses targeted with personalised learning programmes.
- Pupils identified for intervention as soon as weaknesses appears
- GCSE early entries for the majority of students, leading to in-depth analysis of results and specific targeting of weaknesses before re-entry
- Use of “MyMaths” , an on-line programme, linked to the data analysis of tests, leading to individual programmes of study.
- Family learning offered and strongly supported by management and governors. This encourages the students and their parents to learn together in school.
- Data analysis of tests and exams influencing what is taught. Scheme of work altered as necessary to ensure that weaknesses are tackled. (eg. weaknesses seen from the analysis of the previous GCSE results, lead to the topic being covered more fully starting at KS3)
- Involvement of the whole of the department in the monitoring programme
- Support given to the teachers by the Maths leadership group and the Head of Department
- Regular monitoring of teachers and marking by the Maths Leadership group and School Leadership Team, in order to ensure consistency.
Sustainability and Further Development
- The whole department is involved in this process, leading to the production of IEP which are used consistently by teachers.
- Since this system is used consistently and is part of the day-to-day routine of the department, there is no doubt that it will continue. The process will become more refined and solid as times goes by.
- The support of the senior management team and of the governors is evident and will ensure that the process continues.
- The Birmingham North Area Network of Maths teachers will be the forum for future sharing of good practice with other Maths departments.