New National Curriculum changes

[Bayum]

This is aimed more at parents and teachers, but anyone is welcome!

How are the National Curriculum and assessment changes affecting you?

The Y6 SATS changes are having a tremendous impact on morale this time round and you can certainly feel the change in attitude from year to year. Many of the children I've spoken to have explained that it isn't just the changes that are affecting them: the wording of the grading is affecting them more than anything - hasn't met the required level, is exceeding the required level and the like.

I'm currently teaching in Y3/4 and it hasn't gotten any better in my class. I've been met with cries of - when will we ever need to know or use this, on more than one occasion. I expect to hear this from GCSE students as opposed to primary students. Again, the wording of the grading is affecting my lowed in particular - are we not good enough to be in Yr3? It's disheartening to have to speak to parents whose children made accelerated progress in KS1 to finish at 'meeting expectations', to now be at a point where they've been pushed back again as if they've made no progress at all!

How are the changes affecting your children/schools?

 

[ComUtoR]

How will it change again with the move to academy's ?

 

[thejuggler]

If my daughter's teacher (Y5) used 'gotten' in any context I wouldn't be very impressed.

Education, NHS are always political footballs. The current changes are a nightmare for children and parents.

Insisting on more academies won't necessarily make things better as there will always be good and bad schools, but it does mean HM Govt control education from the centre, which is the ultimate aim.

 

[DaleCooper]

I've been met with cries of - when will we ever need to know or use this, on more than one occasion.

Schoolchildren have been saying since time immemorial especially about algebra and trigonometry.

If my daughter's teacher (Y5) used 'gotten' in any context I wouldn't be very impressed.

Except in that context presumably, otherwise I agree although apparently it's the usual past participle of get in the colonies.

 

[Senex]

Except in that context presumably, otherwise I agree although apparently it's the usual past participle of get in the colonies.

I think that "gotten" is wrong in modern British English in any context. But like a number of other things where we've changed in Britain, the former American colonies have happily retained the older form.

 

[Gathursty]

The GCSE Maths is harder as they combine certain topics in one BUT for some students, the real-life basis of some of the questions (eg: volume of a cuboid which fits tightly in a row three tennis balls of radius 8 cm) can inspire common sense to guide them through to the right answer.

Personally, I think we should prepare for a bit of a dip in GCSE Maths while the students and teachers adjust.

 

[Nym]

I'm already feeling lost if that's an example of the new questions.

 

[NoMorePacers]

I have to sit through those SATS next week.

 

[DaleCooper]

I'm already feeling lost if that's an example of the new questions.

That example looks pretty easy - I make it 12,288cc. Useful if you're trying to pack a container with cardboard boxes of tennis balls. Although 16cm diameter tennis balls sound a bit big.

Of course I'll look silly if I've got it wrong.

 

[Class172]

I'd agree with your answer.

 

[Gathursty]

This question comes from a GCSE Higher Maths paper, then new grade 1-9 version - Volume of a cuboid which fits tightly in a row three tennis balls of radius 8 cm.

There is a picture which makes things more clearer but the radius isn't labelled. I may have the number wrong but it was only a single digit number.

The way to proceed is to find the dimensions of the cuboid using the radius to help:
Height and Width are the same as the diameter of the sphere which is 2 x 8 = 16 cm.
Length is the length of three balls or three diameters placed one after another so 3 x 2 x 8 = 48 cm.

Therefore volume is 16 x 16 x 48 = 12288cm^3. Well done!

PS: There are now no formulae given on the front page of a GCSE Paper, whether it is foundation or higher tier. Depending on your memory, this could be an issue.

 

[DaleCooper]

PS: There are now no formulae given on the front page of a GCSE Paper, whether it is foundation or higher tier. Depending on your memory, this could be an issue.

What could be an issue, remembering the formula for the volume of a cuboid? I hope not.

 

[Gathursty]

What could be an issue, remembering the formula for the volume of a cuboid? I hope not.

I meant the area and circumference of a circle, area of a triangle and volume of a prism using a cross-section. I can't remember if when I was sitting my GCSEs I looked at it in the Maths test but in the Stats GCSE, the formulae sheet was useful.

I've never really considered the merits of a formula sheet until now. I'll have to think about that one.

 

[DaleCooper]

I meant the area and circumference of a circle, area of a triangle and volume of a prism using a cross-section. I can't remember if when I was sitting my GCSEs I looked at it in the Maths test but in the Stats GCSE, the formulae sheet was useful.

I've never really considered the merits of a formula sheet until now. I'll have to think about that one.

The area and circumference of a circle and the area of a triangle are so fundamental that I'd be disappointed if they weren't required knowledge at that level.

 

[Gathursty]

The area and circumference of a circle and the area of a triangle are so fundamental that I'd be disappointed if they weren't required knowledge at that level.

I should have linked the old GCSE Maths formula page. Here it is - http://www.abtuition.com/img/gcse2.gif

I do believe all of these should be known off by heart but at the same time, if a pupil knows they need to use such a formula but just forgets the order it is written, then IMO that isn't a maths weakness, it's just a memory issue which I think a formula sheet helps to alleviate.

We do need to differentiate between candidates but I think some formulae should be given. From the GCSE Formula sheet, I would have kept only the sphere and cone formulae. Everything else should be known as they crop up soo much.

 

[ainsworth74]

I should have linked the old GCSE Maths formula page. Here it is - http://www.abtuition.com/img/gcse2.gif

Good grief who would have thought something as simple a formula sheet would bring so many memories of maths lessons and exams flooding back!

 

[Nym]

Good grief who would have thought something as simple a formula sheet would bring so many memories of maths lessons and exams flooding back!

Indeed, back in the day of, well, not very good teaching...

 

[Bayum]

Reading SATs paper was done yesterday, and if the TES forums and pupil feedback is anything to go by, we're not going to be looking at a great set of results anywhere I don't think...!

 

[backontrack]

When tasked with composing a cartoon about the changes, Steve Bell did something rather poignant and special: this.

I have to sit through those SATS next week.

I hope they went well.