Regents Review Winter 2020

The Regents Review Winter 2020

Mathematics DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Year 11 Revision Sessions

Times Table Rockstars This year we started times table rockstars with our current Year 7 cohort to give them the opportunity to practice their mental numeracy and calculation fluency. When it comes to time tables, speed and accuracy is important – the more facts you remember the easier it is for your brain to do harder calculations. How it works… • We started with a baseline test for 5 minutes to see how good our Year 7s are at the moment. • We will then practise times tables to rock music for 3 minutes each lesson. • After 100 lessons, we will take the baseline test again to see the progress and improvements made throughout the year. • We will then collate all results and organise a celebration assembly later in the academic year, where selected students will be rewarded for their improvements in their times tables. • All Year 7 students will need to practise their times tables at home using online games and using their log-on details given to them by their teacher. • There are six main game types at the heart of TT Rock Stars: single player or multiplayer. • Frequency of practice is key with learning. It’s more effective to practice three minutes a day, at least four times a week than practising for the same total duration once a week. • Game Types: Single Player Games - Garage/Gig (Auto or teacher-set questions, best for practice and earning coins), Studio (Questions up to 12 × 12, Earn rock speed and status), Soundcheck (25 Questions, 6 second limit per question) • Game Types: Multi-Player Games - Festival (Questions up to 12 × 12, Take on the world), Arena (Auto or teacher-set questions, Compete against your class mates), RockSlam (Questions up to 12 × 12, Head to head against another member of the school)

This year we will start our Year 11 revision session on a targeted, invitation only, GCSE maths intervention programme, with the aim of encouraging every child to achieve their target grades. This will be a valuable opportunity for invited students to gain additional GCSE maths support and guided revision prior to their final

exams. We will then roll it out to the rest of Year 11 cohort in January 2021. The selection process is based on careful monitoring and evaluation of students’ expected GCSE grades and the likelihood of achieving these.

We are aiming to hold the sessions once a week on Wednesdays, straight after school, for an hour and for an initial period of 8 weeks. However, given the restrictions of COVID, sessions may have to take place online from 3.30pm for an initial period of time until we can resume face-to-face meetings.

Throughout the intervention process, we would regularly seek students’ feedback to make them feel more involved in the process and help to keep them engaged. There will be no charge for these sessions,

but students will be expected to attend classes once they have accepted the place, as this will be to their benefit. Please see below some pointers for planning and undertaking home revision sessions. • Short focused revision sessions are much more effective than longer less focused ones. • Spend most of your time testing yourself and show full workings-out. • Learning will be slow at first, but the more you learn, the faster you learn in future, so start now! • You will forget material if you don’t go over it after a day/ week/ month. Try to start each session by briefly looking back. • When you are revising, record what you have done – it will reassure you how hard you are working.

12