Maths gcse advice - I only do year 6!

[phlebasconsidered]

Hi all,
After ideas for my ds. He was a strong exs in year 6 in maths but is now a failing level 3 in year 10. After lockdown (where I was in school as a primary bubble and he did pretty much nothing at home alone and got set the odd bit of hegarty maths) and no consistent teacher in maths he's lost whatever skills he did have. He has a different maths teacher for every lesson and most of the time it's supply.

I sat with him to try to pinpoint the difficulties and he is strong in 4 ops and fdp but his geometry is dreadful and algebra just flies past him. He scores ok on his hegarty every week but its clear he struggles. His teacher didn't really know him at parents evening and couldn't say what would help. The department had a mass exodus and there are very few permanent staff. They seem to be targeted at the higher ability groups. Tutors are out of my price range really - it's only my wage.

At this stage it seems to me he's been written off. Our year 6 wobblers have a huge amount thrown at them- but I think it's likely to be the 4s and not the 3s that get this in secondary? I was assuming that his data trail would have him flagged- he got 107 scaled score in year 6 so his decline has been massive.

I suppose i am just worried. He's on track to get all his other gcse at 5 or 6 but he will be stuck with shit options and functional maths forever! Or am I panicking? It seems to me that everything is off the table without maths (somewhat unfairly I think). I don't know enough about secondary post 16 options. He wanted an apprenticeship but they all seem to demand maths. He's pretty despondent about it. Is he right to be? I sat with him to revise yesterday but he's very defeatist.

And happy Easter!

It's not until Y11s that lots of schools really get stuck into supporting students - as they will be too busy with this years y11s.

Yes I get that. I will start taking some year 5s in maths catch ups after the sats though. I just wondered what the "cut off" was. There is definitely a point in year 6 where I say that intervention is not worth it and focus on other children. I usually take a cut off scaled score and my own judgement to make that choice.

I also wondered what the topic weightings on the foundation papers were. For example, I am focusing a lot on fdp with year 6 because that content has grown massively over the past few years in all 3 papers. If it's geometry and algebra heavy I think he is screwed!

I’d upskill yourself by going through papers with him, working out the answers together. As a teacher, you know how to learn, so I reckon you can do it. Get him to teach you the bits he understands.

Good idea- the fdp bit is basically not far removed from year 6. The rest I can do and have got the CGP books! However, the getting your teenager to listen to you as a teacher not a mum bit. .... not so good!

"omg mum stop doing a teacher voice!"

Onmaths.com
Corbett maths has videos too.

Ideas for at home:

Corbett maths but 5 a day

5 qus a day which don't take too long and work as really good regular practice at key skills. Not too onerous and excellent at building up long term memory of lots of different areas. I am a maths teacher and make my children do it. They grumble a bit but it's so quick especially after the first few times (we do it Sunday-Thursday after dinner)
Start with numeracy level and then when getting all of these quite confidently look at foundation level. Answers are provided and we just sit on our phones and do it together! You have to scroll down to the date so by the time it gets to summer you have a way to scroll.

If he can be convinced to keep this up over summer then I reckon that on return to school in y11 he will hit the ground running as most of his peers will have done little over summer. This may also really give him a boost before the y10 exams.

Good luck and definitely everything to play for. He can bring his grade up significantly.

Another tip: get him to keep a sheet of paper with a list of all the things he can do on it. Add to it after doing the 5 a day when he has say, remembered how to multiply fractions. This list will grow and will be a really visual way of taking ownership of his learning. Check back regularly that he can still do these things. Maths goes better when you focus on what you are confident at rather than writing lists of the skills yet to be mastered!

I agree with @SiliconDioxide79 the keys is to a 'little' often, i.e. every day. It's amazing how quickly things can change in maths - if you can get him in to the habit of expecting to do well in maths then that pattern usually carries on - and same is true once you are trapped in a pattern of not doing well.

Thanks guys- i just ordered the 5 a day books. The primary stuff looks pretty good too.

I know what you mean about mindset. My 6s are all scoring well on the arithmetic now from doing it every single day. He needs to do the same!