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Initial planning: summary
All three schools saw the detail of the Secondary Strategy as being to some extent irrelevant for what they were trying to do in year 7, since their aim was to develop mathematical thinking as a basis for future work, rather than provide coverage of certain mathematical topics. Later work for years 8 & 9 was organised around key mathematical themes, matching these to the Strategy suggestions of content. However, all HoDs paid some attention to the formats in which they were expected to work by LAs and other authorities. Planning involved decisions about:
- using national framework and medium terms plans as guidance; or getting rid of it and creating own framework based on key ideas or development of mathematical thinking
- planning as resourcing the existing framework for teaching with published tasks, or as restructuring the framework
- involving teachers in collating resources, and disseminating them; knowing who has greatest knowledge and experience of resources
- sharing ideas and resources; how can this become an organised habit? shifting from seeing planning as 'finding tasks that will work' to 'developing teaching approaches that help students learn'
- is it more important to find resources which allow for differentiated outcomes, or teaching approaches which enable everyone to learn key ideas?
