Using Checkpoints in the Year 7 classroom

The new NCETM Checkpoints resources are designed to support Year 7 teachers in formatively assessing what mathematical understanding their students have brought from primary school. Four PowerPoint decks are already published, full of activities and supported by teacher guidance. The rest will be published over the course of the year.

This podcast episode discusses Checkpoints with Becky Donaldson, one of the authors, and Steph Kirk, a teacher using them with her Year 7 classes.

Show notes

Taking part in the discussion are:

• Steph Kirk, Year 7 teacher and Curriculum Lead from Trinity Academy St. Edward’s in Barnsley
• Becky Donaldson, NCETM Assistant Director for Secondary
• Gwen Tresidder, NCETM Communications Manager

Episode chapters

• 00:42 – What is a Checkpoint?
• 02:50 – Steph Kirk – intro to her and her school
• 06:25 – Becky Donaldson – intro
• 07:52 – Steph: using Checkpoints in her classroom
• 12:30 – Becky: writing the Checkpoints activities
• 15:20 – What ‘algebra’ looks like in primary
• 16:20 – Checkpoints for CPD
• 17:53 – Steph: mapping Checkpoints to her own SoW
• 19:03 – ‘Dots’ Checkpoint 4, from Arithmetic procedures with integers and decimals (see below)
• 24:15 – ‘Arithmequick’ Checkpoint 15 from Expressions and equations
• 25:05 – The distributive law (The distributive law is addressed in Core Concept 1.4 of the NCETM Secondary Mastery Professional Development Materials)
• 27:07 – Unitising (Read more about unitising here: What is unitising, and why is it important? | NCETM)
• 34:58 – Shape balance, Checkpoint 2 from Expressions and equations
• 40:33 – Join a professional discussion about Checkpoints

Useful links

Becky tweets as @donaldson_maths and Steph tweets as @steph_mathsive

Checkpoints webpage, where you can download the PowerPoints and sign up for the seminars

Teachers can join a professional discussion about using the Checkpoints activities in our Basecamp community

NCETM Secondary Mastery Professional Development Materials

NCETM Primary Mastery Professional Development Materials

NCETM Departmental Workshops

Steph mentions using double-sided counters and algebra tiles. Using mathematical representations at KS3 | NCETM offers more guidance with using these resources and others.