Pupils learn maths cumulatively, building on and deepening their understanding of mathematical ideas and concepts that become increasingly complex. A coherent curriculum knows where pupils are in this progression of mathematics learning and understanding, and builds upon it. That’s why our KS3 curriculum follows on from the KS2 curriculum, acknowledging what pupils should already know from their primary years, and covering all the knowledge and skills they need as a starting point for GCSE.

Our Key Stage 4 curriculum is designed to build upon skills learnt at Key Stage 3. We now follow the Pearson Edexcel scheme and at this stage in the curriculum pupils will now be following either a foundation or higher tier. We still follow a spiral scheme of work. We start with the fundamentals of maths, building on KS3 knowledge and then further extending throughout the course. 

The rationale behind our curriculum design includes trying to make learning stick by having a spiral curriculum. The five main areas of number, algebra, ratio, geometry and data are taught in a cycle. Each time pupils revisit an area, they are exposed to more complex content, building on what they have already learnt. We ensure the level of challenge is high enough for the most able, with scaffold and support available for students who need it.

Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract Learning: Children engage with a wide and varied range of concrete manipulatives, pictorial representations and abstract methodologies within each session. Cohesive use of CPA is a fundamental part of mastery in mathematics for all learners, not just those pupils with SEND. Concrete and pictorial references scaffold and strengthen understanding and are widely used as a teaching and learning tool from Foundation Stage to Year 6. This then ensures a smooth transition into KS3 from primary school mathematics. 

Fluency, Reasoning and Problem Solving: Every lesson includes the opportunity to develop fluency skills, construct chains of reasoning using relevant knowledge alongside relevant terminology and solve increasingly complex problems in a systematic and coherent way.

Mathematical Vocabulary: Sessions include explicit reference to vital mathematical vocabulary and the use of stem sentences to support and encourage all children to communicate their ideas with mathematical precision and clarity. These sentence structures often express key conceptual ideas or generalities and provide a framework to embed conceptual knowledge and build understanding.

Retrieval Learning: All classes do a skill check at the start of every lesson. This goes through basic concepts all pupils must understand. This repeated practice helps embed their knowledge and aid in understanding. 

The Ofsted framework talks about ‘teachers present subject matter clearly…they respond and adapt their teaching as necessary, without unnecessarily elaborate or differentiated approaches’. We agree with the mastery principle that pupils should broadly move through the curriculum at the same pace. As far as possible, pupils should stay together on the same topic with necessary differentiation such as removing barriers and providing targeted support, but without the need for many different levels of worksheet for every single step. Our schemes include examples of ‘low floor, high ceiling tasks’ that support this approach to differentiation together with reasoning and problem solving questions that will challenge all pupils and allow the ‘quicker graspers’ to look at the maths in greater depth.

Beyond the classroom the maths team offers various opportunities for students to continue their learning. 

Homework is set on a two week delay to ensure pupils understand taught content and are not just remembering. This then falls in line with the end of topic tests which are taken two weeks after the topic has been completed. The homework portal ‘Sparx Maths’ offers videos and worked examples so students are always able to answer questions. 

More able pupils are chosen to participate in the UK Maths Challenge. UKMT is an internationally recognised competition consisting of problem-solving exercises. Additional support classes are run during lunch time to better prepare students for this.

Unit 1: Number Skills

Unit 2: Analysing and Displaying Data

Unit 3: Expressions, Functions and Formulae

Unit 4: Decimals and Measures

Unit 5: Fractions and Percentages

Unit 6: Probability

Unit 7: Ratio and Proportion

Unit 8: Lines and Angles

Unit 1: Number

Unit 2: Area and Volume

Unit 3: Statistics, Graphs and Charts

Unit 4: Expressions and Equations

Unit 5: Real Life Graphs

Unit 6: Decimals and Ratio

Unit 7: Lines and Angles

Unit 8: Calculating with Fractions

Unit 1: Indices and Standard Form

Unit 2: Expressions and Formulae

Unit 3: Dealing with Data

Unit 3: Continued

Unit 4: Multiplicative Reasoning

Unit 5: Construction

Unit 5: Continued

Unit 6: Sequences, Inequalities, Equations and Proportion

Unit 7: Circles, Pythagoras and Prisms

Unit 7: Continued

Unit 8: Graphs

Unit 9: Probability

Unit 10: Comparing Shapes

Unit 10: Continued

GCSE Preparation

Unit 1: Number

Unit 2: Algebra

Unit 3: Graphs, Tables and Charts

Unit 4: Fractions and Percentages

Unit 5: Equations, Inequalities & Sequences

Unit 6: Angles

Unit 7: Averages and Range

Unit 8: Perimeter, Area and Volume 1

Unit 9: Graphs

Unit 10: Transformations

Unit 11: Ratio and Proportion

Unit 1: Number

Unit 2: Algebra

Unit 3: Interpreting and Representing Data

Unit 4: Fractions, Ratio and Proportion

Unit 5: Angles and Trigonometry

Unit 6: Graphs

Unit 7: Area and Volume

Unit 8: Transformations and Constructions

Unit 9: Equations and Inequalities

Unit 10: Probability

Unit 11: Multiplicative Reasoning

11

(F)

Unit 15: Construction, Loci and Bearings

Unit 16: Quadratic Equations and Graphs

Unit 17: Perimeter, Area and Volume 2

Unit 18: Fractions, Indices and Standard Form

Unit 19: Congruence, Similarity and Vectors

Unit 20: More Algebra

GCSE Revision

GCSE Revision

11

(H)

Unit 11: Multiplicative Reasoning  (recap)

Unit 12: Similarity and Congruence (recap)

Unit 13: More Trigonometry

Unit 14: Sampling

Unit 15: Equations and Graphs

Unit 16: Circle Theorem

Unit 17: Algebraic Fractions

Unit 18: Vectors

Unit 18: Continued

GCSE Revision

GCSE Revision