New report evaluates mathematics provision for 14-19-year-olds

17 May 2006

Evaluating mathematics provision for 14-19-year-olds, finds that the quality of teaching on GCSE, A level and other post-14 mathematics courses was the key factor in influencing student achievement.

The most effective teachers have a well developed understanding of mathematics and how to teach it. They stimulate students to think for themselves and to apply their knowledge and skills in unfamiliar situations. They set high expectations and make effective use of information and communication technology.

However, too often the teachers themselves do not demonstrate a sufficiently secure understanding of mathematical ideas in order to teach them in the most effective way.

Although the majority of teaching seen was at least satisfactory in preparing students for examinations, it did not always provide them with enough understanding of the subject to use the mathematics independently. Inspectors found evidence of ‘teaching to the test’ with students being taught how to obtain the answers but not what their answers meant.

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New report evaluates mathematics provision for 14-19-year-olds

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