This is the fa placeholder page for the SMP2. The image above is a playful take on the original work in the 60s when Bryan Thwaites used symbols from a paper tape to describe the project. This one is created on this website and says something slightly different, referring to the fact that we are trying to rekindle the SMP spirit. It’s a bit frivolous of course, as it will take some decades before we can ever hope to follow in the footsteps of such seminal work. The original project that started this is described below, however, we now do a lot more. Read about it on this page.
The School Mathematics Project was an iconic project from the 60s and later on by the University of Southampton. Recently the archive and copyright of these materials returned to our university. This ESRC impact project will explore whether and how we can revive these quality resources and explore how we can transform SMP into an SMP 2.0. The project has four aims. First, it will map and digitise key parts of the archive. Second, it will map the archive against the current KS3 and KS4 curriculum. Third, it will collect and evaluate views on the SMP materials. Finally, these three aims will then culminate in a feasibility report. Is it feasible to breathe new life in the original project, and create new versions of the textbooks, integrating a firm research component. The project is a collaboration between the Southampton Education School, three schools in the region, and the Mathematics department. The project will have substantial user engagement, genuine collaboration and co-design with classroom practitioners. Principal Investigator is Dr. Christian Bokhove.