Years 5-8 Continuity

Who can take part?

This opportunity is for those who teach and/or have responsibility for the curriculum in Years 5 to 8. Participants may be subject leaders or teachers with responsibility for transition in a school. They attend three full-day workshops and will be expected to try out different tasks with their classes between sessions.

What you need to know

Participants may be subject leaders, phase leaders or teachers with responsibility for transition in a school. Work Groups are best when secondary schools and their linked or feeder primary schools work together.

Participants will attend the equivalent of three full days of workshops, and complete school-based tasks between sessions. Materials have been developed which exemplify the principles of teaching for mastery, and focus on key elements common to both KS2 and KS3 maths teaching and learning. These materials may be explored in Work Group sessions, and teachers will then try them out with pupils, observing the impact, reflecting on these activities, and preparing brief notes to support discussions in the following workshop. Participants may also be asked to contribute to online forum discussions.

Schools need to be willing to explore and trial a potentially different pedagogy in maths, and to develop their transition practice. It is expected that activity associated with this project is sustained over at least one school year.

What is involved?

Work Groups focus on curriculum and pedagogical continuity over Years 5 to 8. Participants will collaborate with colleagues from across KS2 and KS3, working on mathematical tasks together and reflecting on the resulting activity and learning.

Sessions will take place in KS2 and KS3 settings, offering the chance to see tasks in the context of a classroom. School-based activity between meetings encourages participants to make use of the resources with their own classes.

What will you learn?

• Your pupils in KS2 and KS3 will demonstrate a positive attitude to maths
• You will make common use of approaches, representations and language across phases
• You will deepen your knowledge and understanding of the curriculum across KS2 and KS3 and the expectations of pupils at the end of each Key Stage
• You and your cross-phase colleagues will collaborate on issues of curriculum and pedagogy as a normal part of your school's transition practice

What is the cost?

The Work Groups are fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme, so are free to participating schools.