tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post3266184760285689102..comments2024-02-15T02:25:47.146-08:00Comments on The Emaths Blog: Some Thoughts on Mixed Ability vs SettingMark McCourthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15119349560555964452noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post-72519409789921050072021-11-11T05:06:41.992-08:002021-11-11T05:06:41.992-08:00Hi, thanks for this blog, it's very insightful...Hi, thanks for this blog, it's very insightful. My son who is very able at maths (and attains well) has started a school which I had been under the impression sets for maths in year 7 or year 8 (he is in year 7). <br />However, I was shocked to recently learn they have moved to mixed ability. I am gong to be speaking to the Head about it to ensure he is pushed adequately. Any resources I Joanna Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06397648379455270213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post-60101904616312469322019-10-08T06:43:18.271-07:002019-10-08T06:43:18.271-07:00Contact your local maths hub for support with this...Contact your local maths hub for support with this. they were set up to help schools with concerns and worries such as this. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post-72254622794043447732019-06-11T13:38:44.910-07:002019-06-11T13:38:44.910-07:00A very thought provoking and well-informed argumen...A very thought provoking and well-informed argument. I am deeply concerned that many UK schools are being led down a 'Brexit-style' mathematical path of someone's ideas that are not well substantiated or thought through. The school I work in are considering moving away from sets due to a couple of years of SATs scores that seem to show a decline. My opinion is that this is cohort Mr Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03906366891558257131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post-24094992153291538802018-12-14T13:30:19.930-08:002018-12-14T13:30:19.930-08:00I think you need to understand the difference betw...I think you need to understand the difference between ability and attainment. Read these parts of the blog and you will see the top two statements refer to ability not attainment. The final analysis is based upon attainment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post-27321588500634882442018-10-04T10:00:18.709-07:002018-10-04T10:00:18.709-07:00"In other words, a mastery approach does not ..."In other words, a mastery approach does not require any segregation of children based on ability, because all children are gripping the concepts. All children."<br /><br />"It is therefore really difficult to square the introduction of selection based on ability and the true belief in a mastery approach. Either mastery works or it doesn’t. If it does, selection on ability is Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14097184805825566027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post-16007794460769614172018-04-25T23:01:54.367-07:002018-04-25T23:01:54.367-07:00Really thorough and interesting analysis of this, ...Really thorough and interesting analysis of this, Mark. I only recently fell victim to the anti-ability movement myself... think I've recovered from that now.<br />You mention that your department "had become masterful in their practices and pedagogies specific to mixed ability teaching to ensure they had high impact.". I've just moved to a new school, teaching mixed ability Luke Pearcehttp://lukepearce.eunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post-57001796951573452602018-01-21T23:53:37.625-08:002018-01-21T23:53:37.625-08:00I think the arguments are different depending on t...I think the arguments are different depending on the age of the children. Labeling children at age 7 according to their attainment creates false divisions between children of broadly similar 'ability'. It didn't follow from this that children should never be set or streamed.Mark Williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347395030360360658.post-41107208378741841122018-01-19T15:39:15.594-08:002018-01-19T15:39:15.594-08:00Very interesting. I'm a former HoD in Science....Very interesting. I'm a former HoD in Science. We went for three top sets, three middle sets and one lower set. The three top sets were those who were in the top 50% (bigger sets) with one for those best at Chem, one for best in Physics and one for best in Bio. Next three, similar but for next 45% in slightly smaller classes. The bottom set had an even smaller class. Big improvement over DrNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05816753417189656182noreply@blogger.com