Bread and Butter – Grade C and Beyond

1 February 2015 | 5 - Misc.BlogResources

The bread and butter sheets for our year 11s have gone down really well and they’re having a massive impact. So I’ve been putting the finishing touches to some for those students working at grade C and beyond. I’ve detailed the original plan HERE and they ‘re meant to work in the same way as the ... Read more

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Embarassed?

31 January 2015 | BlogEdexcel

Friday was an INSET day for us at school but we’d previously agreed to host the annual review meeting of the collaborative network schools facilitated by Edexcel, so couldn’t take part in what I’ve heard was a fab event with Alistair Smith. We’ve been calling it the “hub of hubs” in that the idea is ... Read more

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Dog with a Bone? Me?

27 January 2015 | Blog

Some would say that there is a similarity between me and this picture: over the whole new GCSE accreditation. The most recent events just don’t sit right with me … this GCSE research programme which I blogged about HERE (the day before reported by TES by the way!!!) seems to me to be something thought up after all ... Read more

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GCSE Maths Research Programme

22 January 2015 | Blog

I feel like secret squirrel. I know for a fact that last night’s blog post ( HERE ) has been a topic of conversation in various offices across the country. Not only for its content, but also conspiracy theories abound about how I came across Glenys Stacey’s letter before “they” had received a copy, as it ... Read more

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Ofqual letter .. speechless

22 January 2015 | Blog

Parish Council meeting tonight (don’t ask!!), 2 sets of books to mark and 2 lesson obs to type up but I find that I am reading and re-reading a letter from Glenys Stacey. Teaching really is the job that just never stops giving. The latest chapter in the New 1-9 GCSE involves Glenys writing THIS LETTER ... Read more

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Getting Ready to Teach the New GCSE

18 January 2015 | BlogEdexcel

I do try to be impartial about the different exam boards (trust me I try!!) and previously I’ve let you know what support OCR are offering (blog post -> HERE). I’ve also been contacted by Andrew Taylor at AQA just before Christmas (sorry it’s taken me so long to blog about it!) to let me ... Read more

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“Doing my bit”

18 January 2015 | Blog

I am conscious that some of you don’t have the same sense of humour or outlook on life as me – after all “my perception is my reality” – so when I blog about the teacher shortage I don’t mean it to be all “doom and gloom”. In fact I do whatever I can do, ... Read more

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Now means “Now”

18 January 2015 | Blog

Today (a Saturday!) the letter from Nick Gibb to the awarding bodies was published on the DFE site (here). The content doesn’t really affect me or our students directly, but nonetheless does concern me for reasons I shall explain. The DFE have made the decision that iGCSEs (and that includes the “level 1 and 2 ... Read more

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Top 40 -> Big Fat 50 -> Super 60 ?

15 January 2015 | Blog

We’ve been planning … I don’t mean that I’m planning for my classes though. Big Gasp! Of course I’m doing that too! What I’m talking about is putting together our “Plan of Attack” for the new GCSE’s. Between us (I mean the 3 of us at JustMaths) we’ve decided that we’re going to go “all ... Read more

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mmmmwwwwahahahahahaha

13 January 2015 | Blog

When DFE/Ofqual published some letters in relation to the new GCSE’s I had a vision of someone sat in an office, rubbing their hands, cackling and laughing because it was Christmas Eve. Surely no one would think that you could sneak this stuff under the radar? Think again! Not even the festivities would stop some ... Read more

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