Mathematical Reasoning at KS3 National Collaborative Project
Cohort 1 – Year 2 (Information and Expression of Interest)
Developing departmental practice and culture to improve teachers’ confidence
when addressing the reasoning component of the new secondary maths
curriculum.
Firstly, we would like to thank all the teachers involved in the 2015/16 KS3 Mathematical
Reasoning National Collaborative Project and in particular to the departments and subject leaders
who supported the work of the project.
The quality of the feedback and the Work Group school reports completed by the project teachers
and their subject leaders demonstrated the impact of the project and the potential for sustained
gains to be made by both pupils and teachers, if given the opportunity to embed practice further.
As a result all Maths Hubs have received further funding to allow those schools involved in the first
year of the project to continue into a second year.
This second year will be much more flexible in order to allow schools to embed further that
practice identified from the first year of the project that they feel is most effective and relevant to
their own needs.
This will be achieved through the completion early in the project by each participating department
of a basic department plan for how mathematical reasoning will be taken forward by the
department. This may be based on the areas identified in the Work Group school report
completed at the end of this year’s project.
A similar model of collaboration at workshops will be used to support the work of participant
teachers to reflect the needs identified in their department plan. The particular nature of the
support offered at workshops and gap tasks will be negotiated between the participant teachers
(and hence their departments) and the Work Group Lead. A variety of central resources and
approaches may be offered to reflect some of the areas chosen.
Training appropriate to the leadership of this Cohort 1 Work Group will be available and this
includes any member of the group who wishes to step forward as the Work Group Lead or who
wishes to support a current Work Group Lead.
As a National Collaboration Project, comprehensive evaluation opportunities will be available to
ensure effectiveness and impact but also to spread any lessons learnt and the emerging best
practice.
The aims of the Cohort 1 continuing Work Group:
• To further deepen understanding of the subject knowledge and pedagogy related to the
teaching and learning of mathematical reasoning for teachers and their departments.
• To support the embedding of effective practice in order to sustain impact on teaching and
learning in relation to mathematical reasoning.
• To further develop the Professional development leadership skills of attending teachers in
order to support their work with the wider department.
• To share any lessons learnt and any emerging best practice
• To establish a national resource of expertise with regard to the teaching and learning of
mathematical reasoning through participant teachers, departments, workgroup leads and
other partners such as HEI’s.
Schools who have participated in the first year have looked at a variety of ways of developing
mathematical reasoning as part of their teaching. In Year 2 schools will have more freedom to
select further ideas, to look more deeply into one idea or to look more deeply at a particular area
of the curriculum.
Expectations
 Cohort 1 schools will continue to work on developing their students, teachers and
departments in mathematical reasoning.
 As before, each cohort 1 school will nominate two maths teachers from the department
(ideally this should be the same two teachers who participated in the Work Group in Year
1) who will attend all workshop sessions
 Cohort 1 schools will be supported at the start of the Work Group to produce a plan based
on their WGS report to outline their mathematical reasoning focus for the year including
actions and milestones across the department
 Cohort 1 schools will attend four meetings led by the Work Group Lead to share their
practice and work collaboratively.
 The nominated teachers will be fully supported by middle and senior leadership as they
lead further developments in the department.
 The project Work Group Lead and / or the HEI partner representative will be welcome to
visit the school and observe mathematics lessons in which gap task activities are being
used in the classroom.
To continue into the second year, please complete and return the expression of
interest below.
Expression of interest to participate in Year 2 of the project
Name of school
School URN
Nominated teachers for Work Group
(name and e-mail)
Head of department (name and e-mail)
Please explain briefly
(about 100 words)
why you wish to
continue in the
project and suggest
potential areas of
focus for the
department
Confirmation of school commitment (electronic signatures)
If we are chosen to participate in the Work Group, we understand and commit to the following
expectations:
 Cohort 1 schools will continue to work on developing their students, teachers and departments in
mathematical reasoning.
 As before, each cohort 1 school will nominate two maths teachers from the department (ideally
this should be the same two teachers who participated in the Work Group in Year 1) who will
attend all workshop sessions
 Cohort 1 schools will be supported at the start of the Work Group to produce a plan based on their
WGS report to outline their mathematical reasoning focus for the year including actions and
milestones across the department
 Cohort 1 schools will attend four meetings led by the Work Group Lead to share their practice and
work collaboratively.
 The nominated teachers will be fully supported by middle and senior leadership as they lead
further developments in the department.
 The project Work Group Lead and / or the HEI partner representative will be welcome to visit the
school and observe mathematics lessons in which gap task activities are being used in the
classroom.
Head Teacher
Signature of Head Teacher
Head of department
Signature of Head of Department
Work Group teacher 1
Signature of Work Group Teacher 1
Work Group teacher 2
Signature of Work Group Teacher 2
(Note: When the form is e-mailed, please copy in all signatories as confirmation of their electronic
signature)