Deep Dive in Mathematics
We’re excited to share the wonderful experience we had on Monday September 11th, when our school embarked on a Deep Dive in Mathematics. A Deep Dive is an opportunity for us to explore and celebrate the incredible work happening in our school, from our youngest learners in Reception to our secondary students. It’s a day of discovery, reflection, and growth.
The day began with a discussion among our Hertfordshire Improvement Partners (HIPs) and key leaders. Together, they painted a vivid picture of our school’s Mathematics Vision: to create confident, fluent Mathematicians. This vision serves as the guiding light for all our mathematical endeavours.
As the day unfolded, our HIPs embarked on a journey through all year groups, visiting classrooms and engaging in meaningful conversations with both students and teachers. Their mission was to gain insight into our curriculum and teaching methods.
Some initial findings were really positive: Our students are being encouraged to take their time and think deeply about mathematical concepts as teachers are using cold calling, ensuring that every student is actively participating in the learning process. Thought-provoking questions were able to stretch their mathematical thinking and students in all years were seen collaborating and supporting each other, fostering a sense of teamwork
Teachers demonstrated a clear focus on the curriculum, making it the heart of their lesson planning ensuring appropriate challenges were present in all phases of learning. The team was particularly impressed with how well-settled Reception and Year 1 classes were, considering it was early in the term.
It was also noted that Subject specialist Teaching Assistants (TAs) are a valuable asset.
An area for growth is to review the purpose of our retrieval practice starter activities. The Deep Dive team suggested making more use of Retrieval Starters to promptly identify and address any misconceptions.
The insights gained from the Deep Dive will play a pivotal role in shaping our Department/Phase Improvement Plan in Mathematics. We are committed to continuous improvement and will use this feedback as a catalyst for growth.
The Deep Dive experience was incredibly valuable for our professional development. It reinforced our confidence in the quality of Mathematics education at our all through school while highlighting opportunities for improvement. We’re thrilled to see our students thriving becoming confident & fluent Mathematicians.
