Open in a web browser here.
OCR_NEW_CMYK_FLAT_Jan2019
Supporting you through 2021
Total Maths - January

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the first Total Maths of the year.

How are you? We hope you and those close to you are safe and well. 2021 is already throwing us a few surprises to say the least, but we’ll be here to support you with all our qualifications throughout the year. Down at the bottom of this newsletter, we also share some recent blogs on wellbeing for you.

Ofqual and the Department for Education (DfE) have now launched two consultations that will inform how qualifications are awarded in summer 2021. The consultations are open until 23:45 on 29 January. For more information, see the first article below.

As ever, if there is any further support that we can provide for you in the current period then please contact us. Our role is to support you as you deliver our qualifications

Neil, Ruth, Caroline and Steven-  your Maths Subject Advisors 
maths@ocr.org.uk
@OCR_Maths
01223 553998
OCR-Newsletter-Box-shaddow
Ofqual and DfE consultations on summer 2021
Exams in the classroom

Ofqual and the DfE have now launched their consultations on summer 2021 alternative arrangements for GCSE and A Levels and vocational & technical qualifications and other general qualifications (including Core Maths). 

We've produced a summary of the proposals for you.

The consultations can be responded to up until 23:45 on 29 January.

We urge you to take a look and respond if you can. Do also share the consultations with your students and their parents to respond to as well.

Summary of proposals
GCSE (9-1) Maths November 2020 series

Congratulations to all students that received their GCSE (9-1) Maths results last week.

Question papers, examiners' reports & analysis grids are all now published in the GCSE (9-1) Maths ‘Assessment’ area.

We’ve added another improvement to the Analysis Grids and they now have a button to quickly save a student’s question paper performance as a pdf (this will require you to have macros enabled).
GCSE maths teachers and student

Mark Schemes are available from Interchange. Also available are the grade boundaries and provisional exam statistics for the series.

November 2020 materials
FREE Training for 2021
Professional Development webinars

We have a range of Professional Development sessions coming up over the next month for you. All our training for the foreseeable future will be held online, offering the same high-quality training as our face-to-face training.

As part of our support for you this year, all the below are completely free to attend.
  • Wed 20 Jan – How to mark a mock paper: A workshop for A Level Mathematics B (MEI)
  • Wed 20 Jan – Review of June 2019 for A level Further Maths A Statistics (Y542)
  • Thu 21 Jan – How to mark a mock paper: A workshop for A Level Mathematics A
  • Tue 26 Jan - Marking and mark scheme training for GCSE (9-1) Mathematics (sold out)
  • Thu 28 Jan – Review of June 2019 for A level Further Maths A Pure (Y540/ Y541)
  • Tue 02 Feb – An introduction to GCSE (9-1) Mathematics
  • Wed 03 Feb - Review of June 2019 for A level Maths A
  • Thu 04 Feb – Review of June 2019 for A level Further Maths A Discrete (Y544)
  • Wed 10 Feb – Marking and mark scheme training for GCSE (9-1) Mathematics
  • Thu 11 Feb – How to mark a mock paper: A workshop for A Level Mathematics B (MEI)
  • Thu 11 Feb – Review of June 2019 for A level Further Maths A Additional Pure (Y545)
  • Thu 11 Feb – How to mark a mock paper: A workshop for A Level Mathematics B (MEI)

Book your place today.

View upcoming Professional Development
GCSE (9-1) Mathematics – New Check In tests

Last month you may remember we published multiple new GCSE (9-1) Maths Check In tests and we’re pleased to say we’ve got a couple more for you now as well.

For Foundation tier, we have a new ‘12.03a and 12.03b Analysing data: Summary statistics’ Check In test.
Maths student and teacher in the classroom

For Higher tier, we have a new ‘7.04 Interpreting graphs’ Check In test.

The should be even more coming your way soon too, so keep a watch on @OCR_Maths for the latest resource and support updates.

GCSE (9-1) Check In tests
New maths blogs
Blogs - new maths blogs

Despite the Christmas break, we’ve managed to publish six blogs since the last Total Maths…

Steven has published four A Level blogs. In ‘How accurate is a mathematical answer?’ and ‘The mathematical process of proof’ he addresses specific mathematical issues for both teachers and students. 

He has also updated his 2020 ‘Studying A Level Mathematics at home’ and ‘Studying A Level Further Mathematics at home’ blogs with new resources for the new year.

Ruth has written all about the reasons to study Core Maths for students taking other quantitative subjects at post-16.

Steven also turned his attention to Additional Maths, looking at the benefits of taking the FSMQ alongside GCSE (9-1) Maths.

All our blogs contain links to a wide range of resources, from both us and others.

Read maths blogs
Wellbeing blogs

Our colleague Sarah has written a great blog on 'Resilience - ideas for resolve and resourcefulness' that we really think is worth a read.

We also have a guest blog from Year 11 student Francesca, who shares her experience of lockdown, how she’s staying on top of her own wellbeing and provides some advice to fellow students.

Take care of yourselves. 🙂
Wellbeing - student relaxing sitting down

Resilience blog  Life in lockdown blog

This email was sent to you by OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations) because you consented to us online or at one of our events, or with one of our carefully selected partners to receive OCR email communications.

If you no longer wish to receive OCR Updates from us and would like to remove your details from our list please unsubscribe from all future emails or alternatively you can update your email preferences here. 

OCR is a not for profit organisation and a company limited by guarantee registered in England, No. 3484466 Registered Office: The Triangle Building Shaftesbury Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 8EA United Kingdom