The action research strand of the CfEM programme is exploring what works for teachers and learners. One of the distinctive approaches that CfEM has taken to address low pass rates in maths resits is to support groups of maths staff to undertake their own enquiries.
Action research can be thought of as a model for professional development and therefore highly relevant to transforming the experiences of resit maths teachers and learners. It allows for multiple lower-stakes iterations, thereby supporting incremental improvements. It also closes the distance between the researcher and practitioner, the teacher is designing what and how to research and therefore the content is relevant and immediate. Action research becomes more than the results or findings; it becomes about the process or ‘journey’, which is a benefit in its own right.
The reports relay the experience of teachers involved in the projects, and provides a synthesis of findings coming out of them.
Action Research for Professional Development: A Practical Guide for FE Maths Teachers
Action Research is a powerful model for professional development. Read our new guide to doing action research, Action Research for Professional Development: A Practical Guide for FE Maths Teachers.
Based on three years of experience during the CfEM programme, the guide introduces key ideas within action research. It has been designed for you to use either as a complete course or to dip in to specific stages of research, with plenty of practical suggestions and resources throughout the document to develop your skills.
CfEM Live videos and reports
In 2020/21, the 21 Centres for Excellence in Maths undertook 36 action research projects, focussing on particular aspects of four themes: mastery, engagement and motivation, technology and/or contextualisation. They presented research findings at the 2021 CfEM Live celebration events and published reports capturing the deeper evidence-base. Centres continued action research projects the following year 2021/22 focussing on three key themes:
- Engagement and resilience: Helping learners overcome negative attitudes and the various ways teams and organisations have developed a culture in which everyone believes all students can achieve
- Responsive teaching: Helping teachers value and build on students’ prior learning and address individual needs
- Teaching for mastery: Enabling students to develop fluency and understanding of key ideas and mathematical structure.
Teaching for mastery in FE: Three key questions
Teaching for understanding: How can we develop learners’ conceptual understanding, and support their reasoning and problem-solving skills
Responsive teaching: How can we deliver a maths curriculum that is responsive to the gaps in learners’ skills and understanding?
Engagement and resilience: How can we engage learners and overcome negative attitudes, anxiety and mindsets?
On this page you will find links to video-presentations, and access to the full reports from 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.
FE Mastery Models
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Effective use of representatives and manipulatives in FE maths | Leyton Sixth Form College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Using double number lines and bar modelling to teach the GCSE maths curriculum based on the mastery approach | Leyton Sixth Form College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Collaborative Planning by FE maths teachers | Cambridge Regional College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Collaborative teacher working on using manipulatives | Cambridge Regional College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Do ratio tables help FE maths learners make sense of realistic maths problems? | Harlow College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| The role of CPA model in developing mathematical reasoning | Gateshead College | 2022 | Report | |
| Can Mastery methods be applied online to the teaching of ratio? | Gateshead College | 2021 | Report | |
| Using contextualisation and the ratio table to enhance the teaching and learning experience | Weston College | 2021 | Report | |
| Can algebra tiles help FE maths resit students solve linear equations? | Warwickshire College Group | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Using manipulatives to engage and motivate post-16 maths learners | Christ the King Sixth Form College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| To increase and deepen learners conceptual mathematical understanding by using sequences of concrete, pictorial and abstract representations delivered online through virtual manipulatives | Christ the King Sixth Form College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Improving progress and life skill using FE maths mastery-based approaches | Newham College | 2022 | Report | |
| Exploring the use of technology and teacher confidence to develop supporting teaching and learning with variation for fluency in 16-19 year old GCSE re-sit learners, within different learning environments | Newham College & Southwark | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Raising attainment in Level 2 students by developing an effective mastery model of intervention which fosters a positive mind-set by increasing learner confidence | Tameside College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| FE maths mastery workshops | Nelson and Colne | 2022 | Report | Video |
Problem-solving
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Using representations for problem-solving question in FE maths | Weston College | 2022 | Report | |
| Tackling multi-mark measurement questions in FE maths | Greater Brighton Metropolitan College | 2022 | Report | Video |
Teaching for FE Mastery in vocational subjects
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Interleaving FE maths mastery into vocational areas | Weston College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Embedding contextualisation through collaboration in FE maths | Leicester College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Increasing attainment/progress in GCSE re-sit maths by improving L3 vocational engagement and motivation with mathematical content in both the vocational and maths classroom | TEC Partnership - Grimsby Institute of Higher and Further Education | 2021 | Report |
Developing FE learners' maths vocabulary
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Does maths semantics affect GCSE resit attainment? | Leeds City College | 2022 | Report | |
| Exploring ESOL/EAL specific teaching and learning interventions of key words and phrases in the GCSE maths classroom and how they impact on learners’ progress | Newham College | 2021 | Report | Video |
Learner anxiety and growth mindsets
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Impact of VESPA Mindset and Grow models on FE maths resit learners | NCCG | 2022 | Report | |
| Positive thinking tools and strategies for FE maths learner confidence and resilience | NCCG | 2022 | Report | |
| Using mastery principles to increase FE maths learner confidence | Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group | 2022 | Report | |
| Mindset motivation and effort beliefs in FE maths | Lakes College | 2022 | Report | |
| Investigating changes in FE maths students’ mindsets | Harlow College | 2022 | Report | |
| How can FE maths students learn to justify their answers? | Tameside | 2022 | Report | |
| What impact do interventions based on the VESPA mindset model have on GCSE maths resit students? | Runshaw | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Mindfulness in Further Education maths GCSE re-sits; an Action Research report | Greater Brighton Metropolitan College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Reducing maths anxiety in GCSE maths re-sit students by empowering teachers to investigate and tackle maths resilience | Warwickshire College Group | 2021 | Report | Video |
| How does the tone of assessment feedback impact the motivation and engagement of British GCSE mathematics re-sit students in a further education setting? | BMAT STEM Academy & Wilberforce College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Year 11 Maths Dietary Requirements | Grimsby Institute of Higher and Further Education | 2021 | Report |
Coaching, mentoring and tutoring
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| The Power of Coaching | City College Plymouth | 2022 | Report | |
| Improving the motivation and engagement of maths GCSE re-sit students in FE Colleges by providing additional maths coaching sessions personalised to their diagnosed gaps and to support with growth mindset, confidence and aspirations | City College Plymouth | 2021 | Report | Video |
| FE maths learner engagement through specialist maths mentors and software | Stamford College | 2022 | Report | |
| Using maths specialist tutors as mentors | Christ the King | 2022 | Report | |
| Improving the motivation and engagement of maths GCSE re-sit students in FE Colleges by using maths specialist tutors as mentors | Christ the King | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Student engagement coaches in Further Education for GCSE mathematics re-sit students | Cambridge Regional College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Teacher-coach partnerships in FE | Cambridge Regional College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Can a coaching approach improve achievement and progression for students re-sitting GCSE maths? | Fareham College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| The effect of small group intervention by teachers through maths labs and maths clinics on learner engagement and achievement | Harlow | 2021 | Report |
Using technology to engage learners in FE maths
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| The role of technology in an FE maths mastery model | Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group | 2022 | Report | |
| How digital learning platforms impact on participation and engagement in FE maths? | NCCG | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Improving the motivation and engagement of maths GCSE re-sit students in FE by utilising a blended learning approach | Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group | 2021 | Report | Video |
| How can blended learning be used to engage students in the learning experience? | Leyton Sixth Form College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Introducing blended teaching and learning opportunities through the use of interactive maths software | New Stamford College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Exploring how online platforms can be used to re-engage and motivate disengaged post-16 GCSE maths re-sit learners | Harlow College | 2021 | Report | |
| What components of an effective digital maths provision positively affect motivation and engagement of GCSE and Functional Skills learners? | East Kent College | 2021 | Report | |
| Using Technology in FE maths to improve understandings threshold concepts | Lakes College | 2022 | Report | |
| Online – On-point or off-kilter? A CRISP delivery – enhancing the flavour of online maths, exploring: Collaboration; Role of the teacher; Independent learning; Supporting everyone; Peer learning | Lakes College | 2021 | Report | Video |
Flipped learning
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Strategies for independent learning in FE maths | Leicester College | 2022 | Report | |
| Does a flipped classroom approach really add value? | Leicester College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| Introducing Flipped Learning | Greater Brighton Metropolitan College | 2022 | Report | |
| What impact does the introduction of Flipped Learning have on learners’ experience of the GCSE maths resit course? | Nelson and Colne College Group | 2021 | Report | Video |
Maths lessons outside of the classroom
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Alternative Learning Environments | City College Plymouth | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Improving the motivation and engagement of maths Level 2 and GCSE re-sit students in FE Colleges by developing maths learning outside the traditional learning environment (including outdoors and wider campus settings) | City College Plymouth | 2021 | Report | Video |
Gamification techniques in the maths classroom
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Can gamification enhance motivation in maths FE learners? | Leeds City College | 2022 | Report |
Using diagnostic assessment
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Diagnostic assessment of FE maths learner confidence for mastery | Stamford | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Identifying and filling common skills gaps in FE maths | Wilberforce College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| Skills gaps in FE maths | Fareham College | 2022 | Report | |
| Evaluating the impact of diagnostic teaching for learners studying Functional Skills Mathematics | East Kent College | 2021 | Report | Video |
| How time-poor teachers could become more confident at Assessment for Learning (AfL) techniques | Greater Brighton Metropolitan College | 2021 | Report | |
| Effective target setting for FE maths learners and teachers | Tameside College | 2022 | Report | Video |
Diagnostic assessments to address misconceptions
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Mastery-based approaches for FE maths learners progressing from Functional Skill to GCSE | Newham College | 2022 | Report | |
| Responsive teaching techniques to address misconceptions in FE maths | Leyton Sixth Form College | 2022 | Report | Video |
| The use of starters to reinforce KS 1-3 skills gaps to improve understanding of KS 3/4 topics | Gateshead College | 2021 | Report | |
| A responsive teaching approach for FE maths | East Kent College Group | 2022 | Report |
Streamlined Curriculum
| Title | Centre | Year | Report | Video |
| Moving from standard to ‘Maths your way’ delivery model | TEC Partnership | 2022 | Report | Video |
| FE maths learner motivation when using a ‘Maths your Way’ framework | TEC Partnership | 2022 | Report | |
| How can a set curriculum/SoL increase the Motivation, Engagement and Achievement of GCSE maths re-sit learners in FE Colleges? | Leeds City College | 2021 | Report | Video |