Maths in the garden

‘Maths in the Garden’ Over 20 years of investment in the National Curriculum from 1989 has resulted in pockets of excellent practice in mathematics teaching. Government and civil society, however, remain anxious over mathematics attainment. By ‘international standards’ the UK does not perform well in mathematics in teaching, quality of leadership, and meeting the needs of the lower performing and ablest students. In 2013, Ofsted reported that one third of the mathematics teaching observed over the previous 4 years was not good enough. The lower attaining children were the most affected and the aspect of mathematics most neglected was application to real life. Conceptual understanding and problem solving were under-emphasized and insufficient focus was given to the ‘why’ of classroom activities. Planning and assessing problem solving was weak. Children’s misconceptions in mathematics were missed or not acted upon and there was a poverty of expectation among the lower income white ethnic group. In its 2010 research report, the collation of a study of 11,500 primary schools, the RHS noted that children’s experiences in the garden assisted their levels of attainment in mathematics and science. Teachers covered aspects of numeracy, from simple exercises in measurement, counting and sequencing to more complex skills such as estimation and use of graphs. During such exercises, teachers were sometimes alerted to other gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Sadly, in most schools, the work in the garden was not embedded and so ceased with the end of RHS funding. However, where there was a garden champion, usually the Principal, the garden work continued and became embedded into the taught curriculum. A recent investigation into ways in which the school garden is used as a resource for teaching mathematics in the USA and Dominica, highlighted the environments that enabled this practice, and underscored the advocacy that embedded these practices in school systems. The main finding was that there is a direct link between mathematics attainment and garden activities despite the fact that gardens are rarely set up for teaching mathematics. Gardens provide a fertile ground for teaching mathematical but this potential is largely underexplored. Vision: Success in mathematics for all Mission - Improving students’ mathematics achievement for through gardening activities - Learning mathematics through outdoor activities as an entitlement for all students at primary school Objectives 1. By 2020, to increase by 50% those schools reporting that garden activities increase students’ mathematics achievement 2. By 2020, develop a Maths in the garden learning and teaching methodology that increases the mathematics attainment of low attaining students by at least 20% within one academic year 3. By 2020 establish an economically viable and self-funding Foundation dedicated to building schools’ capacity to increase students’ attainment through their engagement with garden activities 4. By 2020 develop and showcase a Maths in the Garden prototype