Understanding Beyond the Numbers: Rethinking Assessment in Primary Maths
You’ve probably heard something like this before:
Oh, he’s brilliant at maths — picks things up instantly, knew his times tables way back in Year 2, and usually gets full marks except for the odd slip. He’ll get more than 86% so he’s greater depth, for sure.
Or perhaps this one:
Oh, she takes ages to start. Really has to understand every single thing first. Sometimes, it’s just… get on with it! You know? She did do quite well in her reasoning paper but she needs to learn her times tables because her TTRS score is not great. Still, I think she’ll get over half so we can put her down as ARE, right?
Rethinking “Greater Depth” Through the Lens of the KS2 Maths SATs
Each year, the KS2 Maths SATs offer a moment to pause and reflect—not just on what pupils know, but how they think.
Rethinking Age-Related Expectations in Mathematics
Have you ever heard phrases like, “x is working below age-related expectations” or “x is working at a Year 3 level, despite being in Year 5”? These expressions are commonplace in schools, but they often oversimplify the complex reality of pupils’ mathematical understanding. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what age-related expectations really mean and explore how we can better assess and support pupils’ progress.