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June 2003

Primary Mathematics Co-ordinator Cluster Meetings

Monday 16^th June…………………………………………………………….Eileen Coan, Darren Walter & Chris Wilson.

Tuesday 17^th June………………………………………..………………….Eileen Coan, Darren Walter & Chris Wilson.

Wednesday 18^th June……………………………………………………..Eileen Coan, Darren Walter & Chris Wilson.

All the meetings will begin at 1.30pm through till 4.00pm.

Welcome to Eileen Coan

 A warm welcome to Eileen Coan, who has joined Croydon from Bromley as Mathematics Strategy Manager. Eileen will be delivering some of the training at the up coming Cluster meetings in June.  Eileen can be contacted at the Davidson Centre on 0208 655 1299 ext 2040.

June Cluster Meetings

 As you will be aware the next cluster meeting has been funded to allow you the afternoon at the Davidson Centre to reflect upon your role as maths   co-ordinator.  At present we have approximately a third of the maths

co-ordinators  signed up for the training with Tuesday 17^th June appearing to be the day which is most in demand. If you have not yet booked a place for the cluster meeting then please do by phoning Glynis Jones on 0208 655 1299 ext 2032 quoting reference number 03/602a/MA.

The topics for the next cluster meeting will be a review of the SATs, an insight into the new leadership programme, a look forward to priorities for next year and professional development opportunities.  A more detailed agenda will be winging its way to you after half term.

Data Analysis Discs

Data analysis discs for both the new optional SATS and the recent Key Stage 1 & 2 tests are in development.  We hope that they will be ready in time for the June cluster in order that co-ordinators can have a copy of the excel spreadsheets on disc to take away with them.

Transition Units

If you would like to see a transition unit in action we have a few LMT’s who are throwing open their doors to visitors during June.  Many thanks to Paula Stacey, Claire Stanton and Tammy Stewart. The dates and schools are as follows:

Consultant Support Reviews

For those schools with attached consultant support we would ask that you complete your review of progress boxes within the contract for both autumn and spring terms. At present we have had very few completed reviews so if you could arrange a time to meet with your Headteacher to review the support we would be very grateful. These should be posted to Eileen Coan at the Davidson Centre as soon as is humanly possible.

Resource of the month

Base ten or Diennes apparatus is a really under used resource in schools.  It is really essential for creating a visual picture of numbers and developing ideas of place value.  It can also be used on an OHP to create and project numbers or number sequences.

Text for teachers

We have two texts to recommend to teachers this term.  The first is a publication from the strategy, “Assessment toolkit to support pupils with English as an additional language”.  This is an extremely useful publication full of activities and resources to assess the mathematical level of EAL pupils.  It should be arriving in schools in the next few weeks.

“Four in a Row” is a resource book full of games that will allow pupils to reinforce the recall of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts.  It is written by Ian Ward and published by Qed priced at £15.  It has an ISBN number of 1-898873-20-8 and can be purchased from www.qed.uk.com .

Website of the month

The website www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk provides a range of good quality investigations for primary age children.  The website provides this brainteaser and others like it.

Private Tuition

Recently we have had a few enquiries concerning private tuition and if we know of anyone who gives lessons.  If there is anyone out there who gives or would like to offer mathematics up to KS5 can you please inform Tomris. If you only wish to give lessons to a particular age group that is fine. We will compile a list and inform you if we have future enquiries.

Websites to visit:

www.bounceback7.co.uk

This is based on the “Springboard 7” catch-up programme.

Worksheets can be downloaded or used by pupils at home on their own computers.

www.homeworkhigh.com

This is for pupils who may need help with homework. Real teachers provide customised same-day help online and pupils can also consult a vast library of previously asked questions.

Maths song

Here is a chance for you singers out there!

“Pythagoras”    (To be sung to the tune “On top of old smokey”)

Pupils can now think of a theme then write either a song or a poem. They will have to sing it or read it out of course.

This has been extracted from a whole series of activities from Module 7: Learning leisurely, produced by The Open University on developing Mathematical Thinking at Key Stage 3.

If you would like some more information please contact Tomris.

Targeting level 4 folders in Key Stage 3  (Reference: 0085/2003)

If you have not yet ordered some copies of this folder for your department please do so by ringing Dfee on publications on 0845 60 222 60. I think you can order up to five copies.

The section of the folders will be as follows:

1. Section 1  -  Introduction
2. Section 2  - Planning your support
3. Section 3  - Level 3 to level 4 lessons
4. Section 4  - Consolidation lessons

They are ready to order, except the Mathematics Challenge, which should be available from 18^th June.

Mathematical Software

Please remember to place your order for the new Probability smile CD to receive your free copy of another Smile disc (Refer to letter dated 4^th April 2003. There are other discs you can choose from and not only Ratio).

Tomris has linked the objectives from the Smile CDS to the Sample Medium term plan. So if you would like a copy of this please let Tomris know and she will either send you a copy or e-mail it across.

Brainteaser

Here are four threes         3, 3, 3, 3

And here are four signs   + , - , x and ¸

See if you can make all of the numbers from 0 to 10 using all four threes and any or all of the signs. ( Now try with four fours )