Why I Like End of Key Stage National Tests

Don't shoot me, but I like SATS (End of Key Stage National Tests - to give them their proper name!). Let me qualify slightly, I like them at KS2 and KS3, but am less convinced by KS1.
(for any non-UK readers, KS1 tests are at about aged 7, KS2 are aged 11 - the end of primary school, KS3 are aged 14, and GCSE exams are at 16, which is the end of KS4 and the end of compulsory education)

I know that's controversial at the moment, that unions (NUT & NAHT) are balloting on boycotting, and that they have support from Mums.net, so before you light the torches, and get the pitchforks out, let me set out my stall and then you can run me out of town!

Let me start by saying I HATE LEAGUE TABLES. I don't like them for primary schools, and I don't like them for secondary schools. As they stand they are grossly unfair - more so for primaries than secondaries - I think. This being because each Y6 in a small primary could be 10% of the data, and even in a big primary could be as high as 2%. For us last year, each student in Y11 was 0.55%. We achieved 49.4% scoring 5+ A*-C, which makes us officially Satisfactory.

Value Added (preferably contextualised) is much fairer. It looks at where children started, and how much progress they have made. From that point of view, with CVA of about 1008 last year, my school is Good. This however relies on the data being reliable and accurate, and for me that's where SATS at KS2 come in.

For secondary schools, our baseline data is KS2 scores. This is the measure used by DCSF, FFT, and all the other acronymic (real word?!) quangos by which our progress is measured. Whether it is 3 levels progress, 4 levels progress, or CVA the premise is the same. Without solid reliable baseline data, the rest is meaningless.
(I'm reminded here of a Dilbert cartoon about inaccurate data, but sadly I couldn't find it online).

I'm not saying that primary teachers would not give reliable Teacher Assessments. The vast majority would and do, but given they are so closely tied to league tables if you have a borderline 3/4 student, and you know that a TA of 4 would add 10% to your figures, there must at least be a temptation. This is not exclusive to primaries - I have the same concerns and misgivings about courses that at KS4 and post 16 are entirely teacher assessed.

The reason I like KS3 tests is that they are (in maths) good preparation for GCSE exams. Maths is entirely exam assessed at GCSE, and given we (like many schools) do a modular course, the first exam in is November of Y10. If a students first experience of an external exam assessment is the GCSE, then this could throw them. We have mock sats this week, and many students will get it wrong going into the exam hall. The vast majority of them will then get it right in May, but again not all. By November, and their modules, they will all be getting it right (or at least that's the plan). We could use mocks in the hall to help, but some students don't take those entirely seriously

I realise this reads a little incoherently, and it many of you will disagree with me. I just wanted to share my views, and put this side of the argument - all I hear on the news is why they are so awful!

Thoughts?

What do our student reports says about us?

An interesting thought - how often do we analyse what we write in reports?

Do we get stuck in ruts, with reports, and what does what we write say about us? I got the idea of putting my Y11 reports into Wordle.net from @coolcatteacher, from a retweet. I think I've found someone new to follow there (as often happens). I thought what the hell, I'll try it. One copy and past later, and here is the result. I have tried to scour the reports, and check there's nothing I shouldn't publish, and think I'm OK.

What I don't yet know is what it tells me. I'm tempted to Wordle some of my teams reports - see if they tell me anything about them? Please comment - what do you think my reports say about me as a teacher??

I've sort of been blogging for years...

I've only just realised I've been writing a blog for some time, but never realised it. Let me explain...

I'm in my 9th year at my current school, having been originally appointed as 2nd in Maths. At that time my wife was part time at another local school, and a common complaint was that she felt she didn't always know what was going on in the department. At that point I realised there was a danger that all of the team of which I was a part of could be kept better informed.

That was the birth of the "Monday Morning Maths Memo". Shortened to M4 to save space on the paper, and generally called "Maths Notes", or even just "Notes".

It has a very similar layout week to week, with diary dates, meeting agendas for the week (Monday is our meeting day, so that works quite well), and a few key points, for example in the run up to KS4 modules it will have a bit about the admin for the day, or whatever. I upload it to our VLE on Sunday night, so any part timers not in Mondays can read it before their first day of the week if they want to.SLT get a copy too, so they know what we are doing / talking about, as do the TA's linked to the department and our department admin support.

What I've also tried to do, however, is share some of my ethos or ideas through notes. Some of the time it will be a blatant (but always accredited) copy and paste from the NCETM's Mathemapedia, or other places (don't worry - I'll ask before I pinch any of your blogs). Some of the time it'll be based on something I've read, or seen, or an idea. What it boils down to is that I have been writing something that could be called a blog (except that its not online).

I'd recommend all #newleaders start something like this; it's a good way of bringing a new team with you.

Why I Tweet...

Quite a lot of people laugh at me for tweeting. My wife thinks its a bit silly, and most of my team don't see the point. The one member of my team who has joined hasn't tweeted since June 9th 2009, and that was only his 4th tweet. I want to share how I got started on twitter, and why I think it is a good thing. I realise it is probably preaching to the converted, but if I can point people here when they ask about it, then maybe they might be convinced...

Almost by chance, if I'm honest. I'm a big fan of Radio 4's friday night comedy, and usually download it to listen to at the gym. One week on The Now Show Mitch Benn sang one of his songs about wanting to be king of twitter, and beat Coldplay and Stephen Fry. I'm usually all for jumping on a bandwagon, so signed up and followed him - that was March 21st 2009, according to http://www.whendidyoujointwitter.com/!

I soon got bored of following celeb types, although the news feeds have stayed. I soon found my brother, with whom I communicate more through twitter than sms or phone calls, and then next 'fad' was twatching. It started with Britains Got Talent, and the tag #bgt. It feels more like watching at a giant pub, but from the luxury of your own sofa. Torchwood Children of Earth (#coe) was next, and of course more recently #xfactor. #theapprentice should also be in there somewhere. Tweetdeck makes this all too easy!

I know many people have more than one account - one for 'work' stuff, and one for 'fun'. I'm reluctant, as I see twitter as a big staffroom. I will talk to work friends about what I saw on TV, but need to remember not to get to carried away (thanks to tweeps who reined in my excessive #jedward slating).

Somewhere along the line I started following and interacting with maths teacher types, and then other teachers, and it has snowballed from there. That's the trick, I think, to have the patience to get to the stage where it does snowball, and you find the right people to not just follow, but interact with. Having been involved with #movemeon has made me feel useful - that I have something to add to the discussion, and eventually I hope to be putting as much in as I take out, but I'm not there yet. The number of ideas I've shared with colleagues, and classes that I would not otherwise have known about, from Interactive Volcanoes to WallWisher and MathsMaps, and all of the 'Interesting Ways'.

Targets for 2010 -
Convert at least 1 colleague.
Add more take less.
I know the second one isn't a smart target, but then this is for me, not a performance management interview...

Happy New Year.

About Me...

I am a Head of Mathematics (Curriculum Leader in TLR speak) in a largeish (1200) comprehensive. I have a team of nine other maths teachers, ranging from a 2nd year teacher, to a 33rd yr teacher! One is a member of SLT, and 4 are part time (including my wife). The school is a language college and a training school (both of which create many oppurtunities) and has satisfactory attainement with good progress (apologies for OfSted speak, but this is likely to be an ofsted yr for us).

I've been teaching since 1996, and as well as being CL Maths, I also write the timetable, and have responsibility for staffing and curriculum design (with various members of SLT).

I do have a life outside of school. I created our 'Payday Curry Club', which does what it says on the tin - an excuse for a group of us to go out monthly and try not to talk shop. I also have a family life - with 3 young daughters (approaching ages 5,7,9 as we approach 2010). This means that almost all of my work is done in evenings, so late ones abound.



I'm on Twitter, I'm @Chris_1974, so feel free to look there too.

New Years Revolution...

Apoloiges for the dodgy title, and for what will probably be a very poor attempt at blogging. I have been inspired to start by the simply superb blogs out there by the likes of @tombarrett, @dajbelshaw, @janshs , missbrownsword and many others (apologies to those of you I've forgotten).

Why am I doing this?

I have learnt a lot from Twitter over the last few months, and if nothing else it has made me think I want to improve what I do, both in my own maths classroom, and within my department. As this blog increases, I'll have a record for me, if no one else, of what I tried, did, and what impact it may have had.

Wish me luck...