Learning Mathematics without Limits and All-attainment Grouping in Secondary Schools: Pete's story

Abstract

This article is about Pete's story. It is a story about introducing allattainment teaching in a secondary school mathematics department and about espousing and enacting a pedagogy and set of practices to enable learning mathematics without limits.<br/> <blockquote>It was a privilege listening to this man talk. It was incredibly inspiring and thought-provoking and I got a huge amount out of it. So, thank you for that. (Lisa, transcriber, December 2017)</blockquote> Colin was already aware of the power of Pete's story – its affirmation of education as a transformative, moral enterprise based on mutual respect among human beings, its recognition of the inextricable links between this and social justice – before sending it off for transcription. The unsolicited comment above from the, at that stage unknown, transcriber moved Colin to tears and reinforced for him that he was in the presence of a story that needed sharing. It relates the why and how of introducing and maintaining all-attainment teaching in mathematics in an English secondary school and is permeated throughout by a faith in the students as learners. We believe that what Pete and his department are doing is quite remarkable, but also practical, down-to-earth and achievable.