Functional Skills Training for FE Tutors/Lecturers:
Active Maths Training
Pivotal provide cutting edge training tailored to your institution. Sample agendas are available on request. We don't 'train and run', we build sustainable practice that works for the long term. All our training can be booked with coaching & mentoring.
Are you looking for more interesting and active ways to raise achievement in Functional Skills for Entry 1, 2, 3 and level 1 and 2 ?
Would you like to create a real enthusiasm for Functional Skills in staff and learners?
Complexity, Technical demand, Familiarity and Independence
Many Functional Skills tutors are not confident in their own mathematical ability and are unsure how to develop functional mathematical skills in their students. They will stick to lessons that they are comfortable with and with methods they can explain. The problem is that this is not the best way for our students to learn. Worksheets and uninspiring group work does not engage learners who lack confidence and ability in functional maths.
Integrating practical and active methods into your teaching of Functional skills will allow students to develop their mathematical reasoning and thinking by doing.
Our active maths trainers will model key techniques with your teachers/lecturers, demonstrating how to engage and inspire even the most reluctant mathematicians! INSET days are active, practical and fun. Your staff will leave with bundles of resources and full of ideas for their classes.
I was on the Active Maths day which you ran at Northampton College a couple of months ago - I learned so much that day. I thought you would be interested to know that since attending your workshop I have a new job. I had to do a micro teach as part of the interview process, and I used one of the activities you showed us on the day. I am convinced that's what swung it!
The Active Maths session which you held for us, and Paul's session on behaviour management have been two of the most influential training events I've attended since becoming a teacher 4 years ago. Thanks again. 
Cathy Summerside, Functional Skills Lecturer, Tresham College
Our Functional Skills: Active Maths training may include:
- Using practical activities for teaching numeracy that promote student engagement
- Students' development of mathematical thinking
- Promoting higher order thinking skills
- Investigations and problem solving
- The benefits of active mathematics
- Planning outstanding Functional Skills lessons
- Preparing for OFSTED Functional Skills inspections
- Raising expectations to raise achievement in numeracy
- Engaging and motivating reluctant mathematicians
- Setting up real-life problem solving and investigations
- Teaching learners to use maths to represent, analyse and interpret
- Developing a mathematical vocabulary and talking about maths
- Developing understanding of numbers
- Practical problem solving
- Tackling exam questions
We also provide Active Maths training for individual teachers (or maths co-ordinators) and their classes. Pivotal coaches will work with your class focussing on an area of the maths curriculum that you choose for the morning and then in the afternoon will have a one-to-one coaching session with the teacher in the afternoon.
The active maths session was brilliant, I really enjoyed working with you and my class loved the activities. I am finding that my SEN children are accessing Maths at a much higher level as they do not realise that they are participating in Maths lessons because they are having so much fun!
Michelle Appleby, Year 6 Teacher, Edward the Elder Primary School, Wolverhampton.
It doesn't happen so often that I enjoy a workshop so much. Ellie Dix's maths workshop was lively, meaningful and enjoyable. We spent almost the whole workshop moving around exploring number kinaesthetically. It brought home to us how tricky some things can be even to us as teachers which was an excellent way to be more aware of the problems children face when trying to get to grips with concepts. It has been wonderful using her ideas with children and seeing them grow in their understanding.
Anne Criado, Dutch International Schools Conference Delegate.