How do we make the most impact when returning…

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6 February, 2025 —
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How do we make the most impact when returning maths mock papers to Year 11?

Sandra Westlake explains how she’s using mock papers to unpack metacognitive thinking in maths

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by Devon Research School
on the 6th February 2025

Sandra Westlake

Head of Maths at Dartmouth Academy and Evidence Lead for Secondary Maths at Devon Research School

I have been teaching maths for 36 years, first at Kingsbridge Community College for 28 years, and now as Head of Maths at Dartmouth Academy. I believe that everyone “can do” maths, given appropriate and inspired teaching. My involvement with Devon Research School began in 2017 after the Education Endowment Foundation’s publication of its Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3 recommendations — recommendations that I continue to incorporate into my teaching to this day. I love teaching maths!

We’ve all done it. You spend the weekend marking mock papers, and on Monday morning, stand in front of the class, handing back those papers and directing them to look at all your comments, advice, and suggestions, ready to talk your way through the questions most answered incorrectly.

As the teacher, you’ve certainly invested a lot of effort in providing all that feedback. But how much of that feedback actually gets actioned? As we as teachers all know, the answer is “less than we’d like”.

“Teachers spend a significant proportion of their time giving written feedback on pupils’ work.”

- EEF Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning guidance report.

If we’re going to invest time in doing this, we want it to be worthwhile.

Better feedback through metacognition

So, is there a better way?

On this occasion, I’ve invested time in answering the paper myself, laying out my model responses, and taking care to unpack my metacognitive thinking as I’ve done so. This is a resource that I can then share with my students. At the same time, it means my marking of their papers is minimal, requiring just a simple tick or cross, and mark.

Here, I've highlighted important vocabulary, have exemplified a clear layout, and have unpacked my thinking

It also means that, rather than wasting their time listening to me talk through a entire mock paper about mathematical concepts, terms, and skills that they don’t have difficulties understanding, they are immediately productive, and supported to work on repairing their own incorrect answers, applying my question-specific insights, guidance, and ‘how to’ tips to similar questions.

Don’t just take my word for it. Here are what some real Year 11 students at Dartmouth Academy, where I’m Head of Maths – and where 84% of students taking Maths GCSE last year achieved A* to C grades.

“It’s very helpful: I can work at my own pace, having been shown the right method.”
“I can straightaway work on the questions I’m stuck on, rather than having to wait.”
“I like that we can see all the workings, and discuss with our partner and then ask the teacher questions.”
“I can work at my own pace, rather than being rushed.”

Model answers, model feedback

As the EEF points out in its Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning guidance report, there is sometimes a misconception that metacognitive approaches need to be taught in separate ‘learning to learn’ or ‘thinking skills’ sessions. The guidance advises instead that metacognitive strategies are taught in the context of specific subject content.

And nothing, but nothing, is as specific as a question that a student has answered incorrectly. The ability to share my own worked examples and thought processes means they are now being provided with a metacognitive ‘overlay’ to get it right.

“Scaffolded tasks such as worked examples allow students to develop their metacognitive and cognitive skills without placing too many demands on their mental resources.”

EEF Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning guidance report

Digital resources like MathsWatch video clips, and papers produced by Pinpoint Learning, which generates question sets based on the top 5 topics to repair according to previous student input, helps them apply the strategies I’ve unpacked in new contexts. My aim is to provide, in the words of the EEF’s feedback guidance, feedback that focuses on “moving learning forward, targeting the specific learning gaps that pupils exhibit.”

According to the EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit, good feedback can be a high-impact (+7 months), low-cost strategy – though my photocopying budget is perhaps feeling the pinch!

For the moment, I intend to keep trialling the strategy and will continue to check in with my students, as well as their data, about whether they feel supported by my worked examples and thought processes.

References

Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (2018) Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning: Guidance Report. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/metacognition (Accessed: January 27, 2025).
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (2017) Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3: Guidance Report. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/maths-ks2‑3 (Accessed: January 27, 2025).
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (2021) Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning: Guidance Report. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/feedback (Accessed: February 3, 2025).MathsWatch (n.d.)
MathsWatch: The Complete Online Maths Platform. Available at: https://www.mathswatch.co.uk/ (Accessed: February 6, 2025).
Pinpoint Learning: Personalised Maths Revision. Available at: https://www.pinpointlearning.co.uk/ (Accessed: January 27, 2025).