ABSTRACT
The examples in Section 4 of the Framework are presented as a double-page spread, with columns of examples for each of Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9. They are intended as guides to an interpretation of the mathematical objectives as well as representing assessment outcomes at the end of each year. As teachers, we are familiar with looking at examples; every time they change the GCSE and A-level syllabuses we wait to look at the specimen papers. All of us use last year’s papers to help our pupils to prepare for next year’s examination, but we do not teach to these papers. We use the examples to help pupils to practise passing the examinations. The examples and mathematics we do in our classroom will sometimes look like the examination questions, but we also need to use examples that extend the thinking of our pupils so that the examinations appear easy. We do not need to talk about using the examples for practice. But what about using the examples for planning for teaching and learning? An alternative to practice is to use the examples for thinking about the mathematics, about possible routes through the mathematics and for thinking about ways to create activities for the classroom.
