2015 School Improvement Plan – Numeracy

 

Introduction

Summary of Main Strengths:

  • 73% of teachers agree that they like Maths even if they are not a maths teacher.
  • 71% of teachers ask students to check their answers in class.
  • 73% of teachers require students to explain their answers in class.
  • 65% of students like Maths.
  • 65% of students try to work out problems in their head first.
  • All parents feel that their children are safe within the school and 93% believe that the school treats their children fairly and with respect.
  • All students surveyed believe the school to encourage respectfulness and does not tolerate bullying at any level.
  • 100% of students agree that teachers expect high standards of work.
  • Many of our classrooms have a print rich environment.
  • Good provision for Maths on the timetable.

Summary of main areas for improvement

  • The uptake at higher level Maths is 12% below the National average for Junior Cert.
  • 17% of students agree that their teachers in all subject departments use the same words to describe the same mathematical concepts.
  • 59% of students agree that they use maths in their other subject areas but only 41% agree that the use it in their everyday lives or working life.
  • 0% of teachers ask students to estimate answers first & only 20% of students estimate their work before calculating it.
  • All teachers agree that students find some maths based words and terms difficult to understand. Only 24% of students are confident of explaining maths in their own words.
  • 33% of students agree that they like playing problem solving games like Sudoku, etc.
Target No. 1 –
Improvement Targets Required Actions  

Person(s) Responsible

 Timeframe for Actions Success Criteria/Measureable Outcomes Review Date
By 2018, 40% of students will estimate their answers before working them out. Students will use their iPad as a “show me board” on a regular basis in class to estimate their answers and show to the class prior to calculation. Class Teacher

 

 Begin in September 2015

 

 Students will be surveyed again at the end of the three year review with regular checks to monitor improvement. May-18
All subject departments will include a section of estimation within their schemes of work for each group in first year. Subject Department.  

Begin in September 2015
All numeracy based questions in tests are to include an estimation box which students enter their estimated answer prior to calculation.

 

 Subject Department.

 

 Begin in September 2015

 

 

Target No. 2 –
Improvement Targets Required Actions Person(s) Responsible Timeframe for Actions Success Criteria/Measureable Outcomes Review Date
By 2018, 30% of students surveyed
will see a cross curricular linkingof Numeracy based terminologyin all subjects. All classes are to display a common numeracy based terms poster where teachers and students can refer to for common terms. SSE coordinator with the help of the maths Dept. will source suitable posters.

 

 Begin in September 2015.

 

 Students will be surveyed again at the end of the three year review with regular checks to monitor improvement. May-18
During Maths week, every subject department should designate one of their class periods for each group to a lesson based on Numeracy activities within their subject. Subject Departments. Begin in September 2015.
All subject Department plans must include a section which indicates Key Numeracy Terms used within their Department.

 

 Subject Departments.

 

 Begin in September 2015.

 

Target No. 3 –

Improvement Targets

Required Actions

Person(s) Responsible

Timeframe for Actions

Success Criteria/Measureable Outcomes

Review Date

By 2018, 65% of students will be able to identify

where numeracy is
used in all subjects and everyday life.

Each Teacher will receive and additional sticker from last year which indicates “Numeracy based techniques used” which will be used at the end of each lesson to revise techniques used within the lesson.

SSE coordinator will source suitable Stickers and each class teacher will display them.

Begin in September 2015.

Students will be surveyed again at the end of the three year review with regular checks to monitor improvement.

May-18

Transition Year students will coordinate a weekly maths based competition where a numeracy based problem/riddle will be displayed on the Maths noticeboard.