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.