Mathematics

What is our curriculum and intention?

The Mathematics curriculum is an inclusive curriculum where all students are challenged, supported and taught to the top. Through the implementation of the curriculum, we want to develop students’ abilities to calculate; to reason logically, algebraically, and geometrically; to solve problems and to handle data. Our students receive a rich and fulfilling curriculum is important for students in many other areas of study, particularly Science and Technology. It is also important in everyday living, in many forms of employment, and in decision-making.

Mathematics enables students to build a secure framework of mathematical reasoning, which they can use and apply with confidence. The power of mathematical reasoning lies in its use of precise and concise forms of language, symbolism and representation to reveal and explore general relationships. These mathematical forms are widely used for modelling situations; a trend accelerated by computational technologies.

As a subject in its own right, Mathematics presents frequent opportunities for creativity, and can stimulate moments of pleasure and wonder when a problem is solved for the first time, or a more elegant solution to a problem is discovered, or when hidden connections suddenly manifest.

Overall, we aim to prepare students for life outside of school and beyond education, we encourage students to be determined and take a risk to reach their true potential. The application of mathematics is a powerful tool and we aim to help relate this to the wider community to help students understand its use outside the classroom.

What is our learning journey?

Our Curriculum is a five year ‘Learning Journey’.

At Key Stage 3, our White Rose Maths Mastery programme carefully builds on prior knowledge and skills from Primary school. The years are sequenced to ensure that, as students progress through KS3, they are continuously and consistently developing key skills and knowledge, providing them with a strong basis for further study at KS4 and beyond. Within each year, units of work are sequenced to further support the development of skills and knowledge. There are clear links between units of work within year groups and across the key stage to cement prior learning and prepare for future learning. This aides the development of schemas (generative learning) which improves and assists retention. This can also be seen through the assessments which increase in complexity, developing skills and knowledge simultaneously.

At KS4, we follow the Edexcel specification for Maths. Units have been sequenced to reinforce prior learning from KS3 but also to ensure that more complex topics are taught when the skills and knowledge required have been substantially developed.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10 Foundation

Year 10 Higher

Year 11 Foundation

Year 11 Higher

How do we extend and enrich our curriculum?

Homework is set through Sparx maths for KS3 and Seneca for KS4 to enhance and develop their knowledge and skills. Additionally, in Key Stage 4, students utilise a variety of sources for homework, which also include past exam papers and revision guides.

Why this? Why now? Why have we sequenced our curriculum this way?

At KS3, we follow the White Rose Mathematics Mastery programme that carefully builds on prior knowledge and skills. KS3 is not designed to merely be a prequel to GCSE, rather it builds on the foundations established at KS2 to develop learners in all aspects of their Maths education. It provides students with opportunities to explore a vast variety of maths whilst building towards their GCSE studies in KS4.

At KS4, students will follow the Pearson Edexcel scheme of learning in preparation for their Edexcel GCSE in Mathematics. They will follow either the Foundation or the Higher scheme dependent upon their likely paper at GCSE.

What will you typically see in our Maths lessons?

Long-term learning: Students are prompted to make links between prior key knowledge and skills in this scheme and those they have already studied.

Checking for understanding and mark making (ACMO): cold call questioning, class discussion, mini whiteboards. All students are subject to rigorous checking of their learning and supported to close any gaps they have in knowledge and skills by teachers’ effective formative assessment of their progress.

Live modelling and guided practice: I Do (a metacognitive approach) in order to provide a model for the students to follow, We Do (under the visualiser or on the board), You Do (independent work with scaffolding).

Deliberate teaching of tier 2 and 3 vocabulary: Explanations of key words that are specific to maths.

Teaching to the top: All lessons included in the Mastery schemes are designed to stretch and challenge students. However, staff will adapt these to ensure that the challenge in each lesson is appropriate for their class.

Retrieval practice and recall: Retrieval Starters to lessons as Do Now tasks, use of mini whiteboards and questioning to check for understanding.

How do we assess progress in our subject?

At both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, formative assessment is an ongoing process and enabled through effective use of AMCO (mark making). Additionally, students complete end of topic assessments that assess their understanding and retrieval of what they have been previously learning. The assessments give staff an opportunity to reteach aspects of the curriculum that are not yet secure. At the end of each term in KS3, summative assessments allow students to show how much they have learned throughout the term. Whereas in KS4 there will be 2 sets of mock exams in each in both year 10 and year 11, to help get students used to the GCSE papers they will sit at the end of year 11 and provide them with indicative grades.

Foundation Revision topics

Higher Revision topics

How does our subject relate to further education and careers?

Maths can lead on to further study at A-Level and degree level in A Level Maths, A Level Further Maths, A level Statistics and Core maths, as well as being an important requirement in many other courses and apprenticeships. Maths underpins any role and career, however some that are more specific to Maths may include:

Architect
Accountant
Management
Builder; brick layer; carpenter etc.
Engineer
Child minder/Nursery worker
Designer
Computer Games/App designer

If you would like more information about the Maths curriculum, please contact the Director of Learning, Mr S. Dickinson via email: simon.dickinson@daca.uk.com.