Inviting Heads of Maths to King Solomon Academy, Friday 21st March
Dear Head of Maths,
You are invited to spend a day visiting King Solomon Academy on Friday 21st March, when you will have the chance to observe maths lessons and daily life, discuss the department-level things on your mind and participate in a very instructive training session on cognitive load and maths pedagogy.
If you are a Head of Maths and want to spend a day at King Solomon Academy then sign up for one of the 15 available places.
Draft Agenda
7.25am – Arrive, staff briefing, short tour, observe morning routines
8.05am – Assembly
8.30am – Briefing from HoD
8.45am – Lesson observations – A mix of year 9 and 11 classes
10am – Closed-door, round table discussion about changes to GCSE, mastery curriculum, marking in maths, head of department surgery, led by HoD and DHoD
11am – Lesson observations – A mix of year 7 and 8 classes
12.15pm – Meet with groups of pupils
12.45pm – Lunch will be provided
1.15pm – How do we apply an understanding of cognitive load to teaching maths at KSA? Led by Kris Boulton
3pm – Final questions
3.15pm – Visit ends
Attendees at the previous Head of Maths day said:
“I really enjoyed the day and have learnt a considerable amount about how maths can be delivered in a way that helps progression. It was very obvious that you and you team are passionate about mathematics and all it brings to develop a student’s all round perspective. Thank you very for this snap shot. You put a considerable amount of time into the day and I have taken a lot away.”
“I write to express my sincere thanks for your time, energy and hospitality during the visit to KSA on Friday. Seeing such excellence in action made a significant impact on me and galvanised my determination to take my own department forward.
The visit was useful for so many reasons… Kris Boulton’s talk, seeing year 11 ‘bottom set’ getting Bs and Cs on mocks and how it was done, the behaviour management and consistency in its application across the whole school, the common sense policies like moving teachers between rooms rather than kids, Times Tables Rockstars, mastery curriculum etc. I could go on. Friday evening I left thinking how it was the best CPD I’ve ever had and was inspired not only by the commitment to excellence, but the results it was getting. You are pioneers at KSA! Thank you again for hosting us.”
“Thanks so much again for putting on such an instructive day. I have been truly inspired by what I saw at KSA and my head is now buzzing with ideas and thoughts, daunting and exciting in equal measure!”
King Solomon Academy is an Outstanding school with a maths specialism.
We believe that, irrespective of their starting point, maths is a subject that all pupils enjoy and can be successful in.
We set the highest goals for our pupils and believe that to access A-levels in rigorous subjects our pupils need to gain at least a B grade in GCSE. In order to access GCSEs they need at least a level 6b in maths at the end of Key Stage 3. To achieve this we have more time for learning maths and use the mastery curriculum designed in-house that is shared by our colleagues in other ARK schools and beyond.
Our first cohort of year 11 pupils is on track for more than 80% A*-B from a set of KS2 results that would have statistically suggested otherwise.