The Novel Gcse Debate

On Sabbatum I participated inwards an Institute of Ideas panel give-and-take on the novel maths GCSE. Here is the description of the session from the blogged previously almost using an entrance examination to assess algebra skills at the get-go of Year 12 - this wouldn't survive necessary if the GCSE was doing its project correctly. I know of a pupil who got cypher out of 15 on his entrance assessment - which consisted of pretty basic algebra questions - fifty-fifty though he got a Grade half-dozen at GCSE. This begs the question, what does a Grade half-dozen inwards maths genuinely mean? 

I'm non convinced that standards direct keep improved. I'd fighting that mistakes were made inwards designing the content of the novel GCSE specification. 

Over the final ii years, maths has gained extra teaching fourth dimension inwards most schools. This has oftentimes come upward at a damage to other subjects. Many schools direct keep gone from iii maths lessons a calendar week to four, or fifty-fifty more. But the extra fourth dimension inwards the classroom has non been spent improving fluency inwards algebra together with tackling key misconceptions - which would direct keep been the best agency to pass the extra time. Instead nosotros direct keep had to pass the extra fourth dimension teaching all the new, random, bitty topics that were added to GCSE - quadratic sequences, functions, iteration, frequency trees together with and then on. The breadth of the GCSE is vast - at that spot are 97 topics listed inwards the government's specification. Why precisely were all the novel topics added? 

It isn't a caput get-go on H5N1 flat at all - if our students pass a few lessons rushing through functions inwards Year 11, nosotros volition even together with then direct keep to instruct them functions from scratch inwards Year 13. Due to fourth dimension constraints, most students volition entirely attain a superficial agreement of the H5N1 flat topics that were added to GCSE.

What would direct keep been ameliorate - what would direct keep genuinely made a deviation to our H5N1 flat mathematicians - would direct keep been fewer topics on GCSE. I am pleased that Higher GCSE got harder, it used to survive likewise slowly for many students, just inwards my thought it got harder inwards the incorrect way. I would direct keep liked to direct keep seen the questions on the of import materials - algebra, number, trigonometry - made harder. I'd direct keep liked it if it was impossible to larn a high GCSE flat without truthful algebraic fluency together with understanding.

This increased flat of difficulty - just on fewer topics - would direct keep ameliorate equipped our students for the challenges of H5N1 level. Depth was the answer. And depth is the reply inwards many high performing jurisdictions. But our regime went for breadth.

It all comes downward to curriculum. It volition survive a few years until nosotros are able to get-go measure the comport on of GCSE reform inwards whatever meaningful agency - possibly fifty-fifty longer, equally nosotros await for the changes at Key Stages 1 together with 2 to filter through to Key Stage 4. But at the moment, whilst the specification remains together with then broad, it's hard for me to run into at that spot beingness whatever important comport on on our time to come generation of mathematicians". 

There were or together with then genuinely interesting points raised during the debate, together with I was frustrated that I couldn't address every betoken inwards equally much exceptional equally I'd direct keep liked (particularly points relating to the suitability of the Foundation specification together with the sense of students who struggle amongst maths). Apologies if yous were at the session together with raised something that nosotros didn't direct keep fourth dimension to properly explore - it would survive neat if nosotros (ie the maths teaching community) could proceed the conversation on Twitter or at a time to come conference. It's genuinely of import that teachers brand their vocalism heard inwards discussions almost qualifications together with curriculum.

Many thank yous to the Institute of Ideas Education Forum for organising the debate, together with to Tom Bennett together with all those involved inwards researchED for hosting an fantabulous conference.