Case studies

After-school mathematics Booster classes with classroom support

How Year 9 booster fits in with our school’s priorities and agenda

Peter Brown, head of mathematics and Gail Broughton, Key Stage 3 mathematics coordinator, describe the Year 9 mathematics booster programme run last year in South Leys School, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire.

South Leys School is a small mixed 11–16 comprehensive in Scunthorpe. The school's intake of approximately 450 is mainly from a local authority housing estate. There are 154 pupils (35%) on the school’s SEN register. The year group sizes vary between about 75 and 95 so there are either 3 or 4 mathematics classes in any year.

In 2000-01 the Year 9 cohort contained 89 pupils taught in 4 sets. The booster classes were offered to sets 2 and 3 in an attempt to consolidate level 5 pupils' knowledge and move other pupils from level 4 to level 5.