During the last two years, four primary schools in South Ayrshire (Annbank, Barassie, Dalmilling and Holmston) have piloted an initiative to develop conceptual understanding of maths. They used PEF to employ a principal teacher of maths whose role was to support the development of teaching practice that incorporates:

• Mathematical reasoning & problem solving
• Concrete, pictorial, abstract
• Visible Thinking
• Bar modelling
• Collaborative learning
• Mathematical mind-set
• Mastery
• Metacognition
• Meeting learner needs
• Pedagogy of engagement

All staff have taken part in a series of workshops to support and develop practice in all aspects of numeracy. Furthermore, all teaching staff have observed a series of modelled lessons and had the opportunity to plan and implement a sequence of lessons with a stage partner.

As a result, all schools have identified significant improvements in terms of confidence, attitude to maths and pupil attainment where these practices have been developed.

Given the uncertainty of the times we live in, the schools propose to prepare pupils and staff for any future requirement for blended learning. Each week, a first and second level video lesson is made available on YouTube that provides a general introduction to a specific mathematical relationship or concept. This prepares them for further sessions throughout the week which aim to develop, embed and assess their understanding of the skills and strategies being focussed on. Teachers are provided with support material so that these skills and strategies can be developed in a range of contexts incorporating experiences and outcomes across curricular organisers.

By making the video lessons available publicly, parents and carers have access to class-based practices ensuring that any support given is consistent with the skills and strategies being developed in school.

Should there be a need for reduced class time in the future, families will be familiar with the format of each session and pupils will be better prepared to undertake home-based sessions independently.  ‘How To…’ videos and online parent workshops will provide further support where required.

During lockdown a differentiated Friday Maths Challenge was provided via Teams / Seesaw whereby families were encouraged to have a go and send in videos and photos of their attempts which were then tweeted in order to share with a wider audience. The Friday Maths Challenge continues as pupils return to school on a full-time basis in order to continue to promote family learning and create a buzz about maths.

The key factors of this initiative are to ensure that blended learning:

• supports new learning and the development of new skills
• avoids an over emphasis of revision of prior learning
• provides parents with the mathematical understanding, consistent with class practice, to support their children develop new skills
• fosters a consistent, whole-school approach to the effective teaching of maths
• supports pupils to develop a deep conceptual understanding of maths

Improvement questions

• Does my teaching practice promote and encourage independent thinking and problem solving of the young people?
• Are my pupils challenged to reason mathematically by analysing and visualising the relationships in a mathematical problem before determining a suitable strategy and applying their understanding of number?
• During the COVID 19 outbreak, did I provide tasks and activities that:
  • encouraged the development of new learning?
  • allowed parents to support their children by developing and applying skills consistent with classroom practice?
• How might I use this approach to improve the quality of outcomes for young people by encouraging greater engagement between home and school?