Mathematics

Intent

Our knowledge-rich curriculum will inspire students to develop numerical fluency to gain a broad range of skills and will help us to create the very best mathematicians. Students will be challenged to think, act and communicate ideas to replicate the working environment.  We do this through rich learning and ensuring mathematical principles can be applied to a range of contexts. Students learn about number, algebra, geometry, ratio and proportion, statistics and probability.  The students will develop their problem solving and reasoning skills to effectively apply this knowledge to successfully answer a range of probing mathematical questions and problems. All students will aspire to achieve their best and improve their life chances through success in Maths.

Impact

Our curriculum will ensure that all students will become the very best mathematicians. We will challenge them to think, act and communicate ideas to expand their experiences of Maths.  All students will deepen their knowledge and understanding of how mathematical principles can be applied to a range of contexts in everyday life situations and across most other curriculum subjects. We will inspire all students to aspire to achieve their full potential and apply their mathematical skills in their future career pathways, including accountancy, architecture, sport, science or business. 

We are a small Maths department, full of enthusiasm and expertise, who are keen to do the best for all pupils in our school.

Implementation 

We deliver lessons of high quality and foster engagement and a curiosity of learning. Each lesson will be highlighted with clear intentions linked to prior skills/knowledge and future learning. Lessons will also be referenced to job opportunities in industry to highlight the importance that mathematics will play in students’ futures. Assessments, using Question Level Analysis, are meaningful and using detailed analysis promote constant individual learning opportunities. The curriculum is continuously quality assured, monitored and improved upon as a collaborative team. Additional intervention is provided to all students with every member of the department in charge of a year group, including the new targeted Saturday School revision for Year 11 students. Working with primary feeder schools is planned for, to ensure transition is smooth and skills can be easily transferred. This will help those in Year 7 who are ‘not on target on entry’.

KS3 (Years 7, 8 & 9)

Students start Year 7 by sitting a baseline assessment, so it gives us as a department an idea of strengths and weaknesses of all students. Year 7, 8 and 9 are kept as mixed ability classes as research suggests this does not impact our more able students and should further support our lower ability students. 

Our curriculum is broken down into small manageable steps which will help students to understand concepts better. The curriculum follows a “small steps” approach, so students are not overloaded with too many concepts. Students following the main content will have covered all of the GCSE foundation tier by the end of Year 11 and will have access to achieving a grade 5. Students who have also covered additional higher content will have access to a grade 9. 

Mathematical fluency, reasoning and problem-solving are all fully integrated into the schemes of work allowing students to build the best foundation for the start of KS4.

Year 7 Key Skills:

• Calculate accurately
• Think proportionally
• Express ideas algebraically
• Reason logically
• Solve unfamiliar problems
• Communicate mathematically

Year 8 Key Skills:

• Calculate confidently in complex contexts 

• Think multiplicatively and proportionally 

• Manipulate algebra with understanding 

• Interpret and connect representations 

• Justify methods and conclusions 

• Solve unfamiliar, multi-step problems 

Year 9 Key Skills:

• Calculate accurately and efficiently 

• Apply proportional reasoning across topics 

• Manipulate algebra fluently 

• Interpret and analyse representations 

• Construct and critique mathematical arguments 

• Solve complex, unfamiliar problems independently

KS4 (Years 10 & 11)

At the start of Year 10, students are set based on whether they are going to follow content for the foundation tier or for the higher tier. This will be based on previous assessment scores (especially those sat at the end of Year 9 – 1 calculator and 1 non-calculator paper) and work ethic.

Our KS4 curriculum focuses on teaching new content that relates to the Edexcel exam board for GCSE Maths. Topics continue to be revisited from KS3 throughout our scheme of work.

Year 10 HIGHER Key Skills

• Calculate accurately in demanding contexts 

• Apply proportional reasoning fluently 

• Manipulate algebra with confidence 

• Analyse and interpret graphs and functions 

• Construct convincing mathematical arguments 

• Solve unfamiliar, multi-step exam problems 

Year 10 FOUNDATION Key Skills

• Calculate reliably in everyday contexts 

• Use proportion confidently 

• Apply basic algebra with understanding 

• Interpret graphs and data accurately 

• Explain methods clearly 

• Solve structured exam-style problems 

Year 11 HIGHER Key Skills

• Calculate fluently and accurately under pressure 

• Apply proportional reasoning across all topics 

• Manipulate algebra with confidence and structure 

• Analyse and interpret complex graphs and models 

• Construct convincing mathematical arguments 

• Solve unfamiliar, multi-topic exam problems independently 

Year 11 FOUNDATION Key Skills

• Using correct notation, symbols, and units

• Writing neat, clearly sequenced solutions

• Interpreting exam command words accurately

• Explaining reasoning succinctly 

• Showing sufficient working to gain method marks

KS5 (Years 12 & 13)

Years 12 and 13 A Level Maths

Studying A Level Maths leads to versatile qualifications, develops key employability skills, supports the study of other A Levels and provides excellent preparation for a wide range of university courses. Maths has to be taken if Physics is chosen as an option.  

A Level Maths starts as an extension of GCSE Maths with a heavy reliance on strong algebraic skills. Bridging work is expected to be completed over the summer and at the start of the year, which involves a recap and extension of knowledge learned at GCSE.

Students sit 3 papers in Year 13 (2 pure Maths and 1 statistics & mechanics paper) each lasting 2 hours. No assessments in Year 12 contribute to the final grade.

Years 12 and 13 Further Maths

Further Maths is excellent preparation for a degree in Mathematics. Many university Maths departments encourage students to take Further Mathematics at A Level as it introduces a wider range of pure and applied content, such as matrices and complex numbers. Students must take A Level Maths alongside Further Maths. The overarching themes for A Level Further Maths are; mathematical argument, language and proof; mathematical problem-solving; and mathematical modelling.

Below is a breakdown of the content and assessment options:

 Careers in Mathematics