My Maths
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My Maths
Can anyone answer some questions I have about the site?
Has it been updated to the new primary maths syllabus, or is it still the old one?
I pressume the numbered levels are NC rather than year groups, but it is always said on here that level 5/6 primary is different from level 5/6 secondary, so if DS does level 5 is this primary or secondary level 5 work?
Has it been updated to the new primary maths syllabus, or is it still the old one?
I pressume the numbered levels are NC rather than year groups, but it is always said on here that level 5/6 primary is different from level 5/6 secondary, so if DS does level 5 is this primary or secondary level 5 work?
Re: My Maths
The levels are not technically different - it is just that the whole of level 5 wasn't taught at primary and very little of level 6 is covered.
When the government developed the single level tests that were stopped by this govt, they were for use in both primary and secondary. The 2011 L6 sample test was one of these tests and was aimed at a secondary-aged audience.
No idea if MyMaths has been updated but I wouldn't worry. This year 6 are on the old curriculum and next year's cohort will have the new. Most of the curriculum is the same but probability has been taken out of primary along with mode, median and range. The mean is now in the primary curriculum and was a perfect example of level 5 material that was not on the primary curriculum. Some level 6 work is now part of the new primary curriculum.
When the government developed the single level tests that were stopped by this govt, they were for use in both primary and secondary. The 2011 L6 sample test was one of these tests and was aimed at a secondary-aged audience.
No idea if MyMaths has been updated but I wouldn't worry. This year 6 are on the old curriculum and next year's cohort will have the new. Most of the curriculum is the same but probability has been taken out of primary along with mode, median and range. The mean is now in the primary curriculum and was a perfect example of level 5 material that was not on the primary curriculum. Some level 6 work is now part of the new primary curriculum.
Re: My Maths
Ok thanks. DS is only year 5, so on the new curriculum I believe. Unfortunately most resources have not been updated yet, and I dont have much faith in his school so trying to top up at home.
Re: My Maths
Many teachers are not up to speed yet for the new curriculum and the maths hubs are not providing much primary CPD that I have seen, sadly because they are all lead by secondary schools. The maths knowledge requires specialist knowledge that is beyond most generalists without specific training.
Have a look at the new curriculum document - bigger numbers is an obsession and they do frighten children who aren't used to them. There is also a huge emphasis on fractions and the ability to compare fractions, decimals and percentages. Division is generally a weak area in primary schools and there is a high requirement. Decimal comparison floors most of mine too. Most cannot name the parts of a circle nor use a formula. Percentages, well! Algebra with two variables has also been a bit of a disaster. I nearly forgot about volume (only 8% of my high achievers were able to answer relatively simple questions). My sample was reasonably small though approx. 150-200 children across 15 schools.
I am cheating though as I trialled questions for next year's cohort on the current year 6.
Have a look at the new curriculum document - bigger numbers is an obsession and they do frighten children who aren't used to them. There is also a huge emphasis on fractions and the ability to compare fractions, decimals and percentages. Division is generally a weak area in primary schools and there is a high requirement. Decimal comparison floors most of mine too. Most cannot name the parts of a circle nor use a formula. Percentages, well! Algebra with two variables has also been a bit of a disaster. I nearly forgot about volume (only 8% of my high achievers were able to answer relatively simple questions). My sample was reasonably small though approx. 150-200 children across 15 schools.
I am cheating though as I trialled questions for next year's cohort on the current year 6.
Re: My Maths
Bucks ran a huge amount of CPD on the new curriculum - progression documents are on the website in topic 1:
http://www.bucksgfl.org.uk/course/view.php?id=6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.bucksgfl.org.uk/course/view.php?id=6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: My Maths
That's interesting G55. And Moved - I love your comment about division. Why is this?
I joke every year that division is the poor man at my children's primary school but I didn't realise it was the same everywhere. It feels like every year and term goes a bit like this - weeks of adding, a bit less time subtracting, even less time multiplying and then just as they're about to break up a bit of division. I'm feeling no different with a child in year 6 who is supposedly going to do level 6 papers. Even when they send home some extension problem other other - including some from NRICH - it involves adding and nothing else. It gets curiouser and curiouser.
If they did more division it could involve plenty of practise adding, subtracting and multiplying.
Is it the old numeracy units which make this farce out of the proportion of time afforded to teach operator or is it our school being weird?
Big number phobia --- our school did its best to cultivate this in KS1. It's catching. Shame as children love big numbers really.
I joke every year that division is the poor man at my children's primary school but I didn't realise it was the same everywhere. It feels like every year and term goes a bit like this - weeks of adding, a bit less time subtracting, even less time multiplying and then just as they're about to break up a bit of division. I'm feeling no different with a child in year 6 who is supposedly going to do level 6 papers. Even when they send home some extension problem other other - including some from NRICH - it involves adding and nothing else. It gets curiouser and curiouser.
If they did more division it could involve plenty of practise adding, subtracting and multiplying.
Is it the old numeracy units which make this farce out of the proportion of time afforded to teach operator or is it our school being weird?
Big number phobia --- our school did its best to cultivate this in KS1. It's catching. Shame as children love big numbers really.
Re: My Maths
I spent a lot of time developing progression docs in my previous post.