Essential Skills for Maths Grade C CD-ROM

Subject: Mathematics
Level: Secondary
Age Group: 14 - 16
Order Number: 10083

We all know that frequent visits to a topic are beneficial to long term memory, but we often fail to do it. Desperate to raise achievement, i.e. the percentage gaining grade C or better, the author began to test his pupils on a weekly basis using tests that had apparently not changed from the week before. The tests were indeed changing but by perceptively little, a question dropped and a question added. Topics were tested on average 5 times. Pupils were soon getting very high scores, confidence grew and more importantly topics were being revisited. Topics are kept alive in the short term memory and become fixed in the long term memory.

The tests are completed and marked in a 50 minute lesson. Tests are marked by the pupils themselves with the teacher going through the questions originally on the board or OHT, indicating where marks would be gained on an exam. This part is now done using the PowerPoint presentations. Importantly pupils did not complain that they had done this test before but realised they were revising. Pupils were encouraged to take the tests home to help them prepare for the next test. Competition to improve on previous scores developed and competition to score higher than friends also developed. With the development of the school intranet, tests were posted 2 days before the written test and pupils were encouraged to download and do the tests at home in preparation.

This is a collection of 40 tests written using Word and also converted to PDF (both formats are provided on the disc). The tests are supported by quality PowerPoint files, providing full and animated solutions. The Word files can be easily modified or added to, thus customising them to the school’s own schemes of work. In a similar way, schools could copy and modify the PowerPoint files. The tests are ideally suited to those currently doing the linear Intermediate or Higher exam but will be equally suitable to the new GCSE Foundation and Higher specification. Target grades on the tests are B and C.

Incidentally the percentage gaining grade C or better rocketed that first year and has remained improved ever since.

Once purchased, the CD-ROM can be freely copied and networked throughout the school.