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Original poster

what would be a sensible approach for school to take with dd? (Maths)

33 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 06/02/2013 14:11

d is Year 8 and very talented at Maths. School is lovely and doing their best with her. At the moment they have her self teaching from the Set 1 Year 9 book whilst the rest of the class are taught the Year 8 curriculum. She finds the work pretty simple, but she is coming across things she hasnt seen before. They are also challenging her through the UKMT program.

It's not ideal, we'd quite like dd to be actually taught maths, rather than teach herself. Partly because she isnt really learning formal ways of writing proofs and what not (which will become important I guess) but also, we are a bit worried that at some point she will need to learn exam technique and also we are concerned she might develop misconceptions that nobody picks up on.

Happy for her to muddle on this year, but next year she would be starting on teaching herself GCSE if they go down the same path. Not so happy about that. If she is going to do that level work, we think she ought to be taught.

In an ideal world, I think we'd like to see her moved up a year in maths now, as her maturity is really coming on and she has lots of friends in the year group above, but we think that it would be impossible for the school to timetable. But what would be reasonable for the school to try and achieve?

Thanks :)

OP posts:
webwiz · 06/02/2013 20:50

DD2 found the step up to uni maths difficult but then again so did all her friends on her course - she does enjoy being with other mathematicians though as she missed out on being able to work more collaboratively on the way through.

I think its sensible to look at how the path will work for your DD - DD2 had one teacher who wasn't confident giving extra work and so that ended up being a bit of a repeat year. If her school aren't planning to let her take the GCSE early then how are they going to provide enough interest for her in the lessons.

Are you near any universities? DD2 went to quite a few Saturday lectures run by Cambridge that were aimed at secondary school students. This is quite good for maths problems as well nrich.maths.org/frontpage

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 06/02/2013 20:14

She has webwiz :) and looking forward to the next one!

I guess my question to her school should be.. Are they going to start her down the path of her gcse work next year, which would follow the pattern they have followed so far, or are they going to find something different for a year for her to do. I think they kind of scuppered things a bit by having her work a year ahead of her peers this year and last year, as she's either going to have to have a gap year from gcse work, repeat a year of work or do it early.

How did your dd find the step up to uni maths? I think it must come as a real shock to suddenly find its proper hard work when they aren't used to it in maths. I know it's a way ahead for dd and things change, but its something I've half thought about.

OP posts:
webwiz · 06/02/2013 18:14

Has she done any of the maths challenges OP? They can be quite good for a bit of creative maths thinking

www.mathcomp.leeds.ac.uk/individual-competitions/

webwiz · 06/02/2013 18:07

DD2 was like this and her school have a policy of no early entry for GCSEs so she didn't take her maths GCSE till year 11. She did however do a lot of extra work along the way that was set by the teachers to take her understanding of the topics that were being studied a bit further. Some of the time though maths was a subject to have a bit of a rest in when she was balancing lots of GCSEs and she enjoyed having something she could do quite easily.

When it came to Maths and Further Maths at A level she found the step up quite easy because she had a good grounding along the way. It didn't help with the step up to university maths though!

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 06/02/2013 17:22

How did I miss off a 'd'? its my dd. It is a large school. She is significantly ahead of her peers, but so far we have concentrated in not accelerating her but stretching her sideways as we believe that is much more important in the long run.

Her maths teacher commented last year (when she was in year 7) that they could happily drop her in with the Year 11's this year but we agreed that was not the right thing for her personally, as socially we dont want her to stand out and also, if they can keep her interests stretched sideways she will be a better mathematician in the long run. So this year has been a compromise solution.

Her school doesnt as far as I know put anyone in early normally, top sets do maths and Stats at the normal time.

Before I ask the head of maths what they are going to do, I'd quite like an idea of what are reasonable expectations! I never have any idea as to whether we have been following the right path or not.

OP posts:
Asterisk · 06/02/2013 17:11

OP: It's not an ideal soloution but, as part of addressing accelerated learning, the school should be subscribing to a good online programme like MyMaths where your daughter can advance at a pace that suits them. The 'explanations' on these programmes are usually well written and constitute a form of teaching. At least it will allow your daughter to see where she hasn't understood something, and the school can monitor and reward progress. It's got to be better than sitting with a text book. You could also suggest the school pairs up your daughter with a sixth-form maths student (if they have a sixth form), who will do a bit of tutoring. The sixth former will have something interesting to write on their personal statement and your daughter will benefit from one-on-one time with a good maths student.

mumsneedwine · 06/02/2013 16:55

Is it a small school ? Our bog standard comp top sets are doing year 9 & 10 work and will start GCSE in Sept. This is 60 kids (2 halves of year each have top set). I'm surprised he is the only one in school on this level as maths tends to be the subject lots of kids go fast in. I would ask head of KS3 maths what they are going to do next year. Sounds horrid for him.

secretscwirrels · 06/02/2013 16:35

Ah I wish I had the answer.
My DS1 was the same, bored. I tried everything to get the school to stretch him, even offering to mark his work if they could set him something off curriculum. They did nothing. Borderline grade D/C s get hours of extra input but not those who will coast As. In the end he got GCSE Maths A in y10 and Stats in Y11.
He's now doing Maths and FM at a sixth form college and he is loving it. He has renewed his love of Maths which was lost at secondary school. They are doing all sorts of stretch and challenge with him as well, so all is not lost.

He was at a bog standard comp who achieve 70% A* to C inc EM.
I'd love to know what other (ordinary) schools do.