A SWINDON primary school has won £1,000 of research funding for the third year running to look into different ways of teaching maths.

Teachers from Westlea Primary School received the windfall from the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) to carry out research into innovative forms of assessment.

The school is doing the project over this academic year investigating how an initiative called “big maths” is affecting teaching and learning in the school.

Big maths is an opportunity for the teachers to step back, observe, listen and record how the children approach a mathematical task, in order to identify children’s misunderstandings.

It develops the use of questioning and communication in a mathematical environment, so is transforming how teachers are teaching and children are learning in the school.

Maths teacher Sarah Sumner said: “The £1,000 will be spent on a variety of different things, like teaching resources and extra teaching time to enrich and add to what we normally have in schools.

“We will be trying to find out why pupils are progressing or not, finding the weaknesses in children’s learning and trying to plug that to springboard their maths ahead.”

Headteacher Suzanne Seaton said the project would provide ongoing professional development for all staff and improve the quality of teaching and learning across the school.

NCETM director Celia Hoyles said: “We are delighted that NCETM funding is having such a powerful impact in Westlea Primary School, as it is across the country where other similar projects are taking place.

“For those involved, this is just the beginning of a journey in professional development that will continue to pay dividends in our schools and colleges over the months and years ahead.”

For more information visit www.ncetm.org.uk/enquiry/ funded-projects.