Curriculum – Maths
Vision
Maths is core subject and is taught to all students at KS3 and KS4 at our college. The college environment ensures that every student can achieve their personal best and has the support they need to do this.
Mathematics must be accessible to all and we teach stimulating and challenging lessons to all age range and abilities.
Students are encouraged to work hard, become independent thinkers and feel secure and confident with their knowledge of the subject. The curriculum has been designed to develop declarative, procedural and conditional knowledge over time.
Students are monitored carefully with targeted support or intervention implemented in order to help all order to help all students to be successful learners.
Department Virtue
Our department virtue to be curious.
Maths is all about solving problems and we encourage students to be curious about what they are learning and have a desire to ask, investigate and find out new information. We encourgage students to ask questions and develop the skills to undertsand why some methods are better than others.
Key Stage 3
Curriculum Overview
In Key Stage 3 all students will have 3 hours of Maths each week. They will learn about number, algebra, space and measures, ratio and proportion, and handling data. Recall of key facts and problem solving are embedded in the curriculum.
Year 7 students are placed in groups according to their Key Stage 2 data. In Year 8 there are 8 groups, 4 of these will follow an extended curriculum and 4 will follow the core curriculum.
In Year 9 a similar approach is used with the introduction of a support group for those students who may require extra support with their Maths.
Groups are flexible and students may move groups at key points in the academic year if they demonstrate that they are making better or less than expected progress. Homework is an integral part of the learning process, teaching independence and self reliance, and an accessible task is set every week to help develop declarative and procedual knowledge. Students are continuosly tracked and progress is measured each half term.
| Year | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Sequences, Algebraic Thinking, Types of Number | Fractional Thinking, Rounding, Approximation & Calculators, Forming & Solving Equations | Written Calculations.Fractions, Decimals & Percentages. Ratio & Proportion. | Perimeter, Area & volume. Applying algebraic thinking. Presenting & interpreting data. | Graphs. Transformations. | Angles & algebra. Analyzing data. Probability. |
| 8 | Factors, Multiples, HCF,LCM,Powers, Roots & Fractions | Negative Numbers, Equations & Formula, Sequences with nth term, Probability | Angles, Area & Perimeter, Graphs | Percentage, Ratio.Mid KS3 Exam | Area of 2D shapes, Volume of cubes & cuboids, Surface area | Statistical disgrams, Averages for grouped data, |
| 9 | Negative Numbers, Linear Graphs, Sequences | Working with powers & roots, Fractions, Expanding brackets, Equations | Inequalities, Probability, Area & volume including prisms | Percentges, Angles, Transformations, | Pythagoras/ Trigonometry, Standard form | Accurate drawings, Equations, End KS3 exams |
Key Stage 3 Assessment
All Year 7 students will do a baseline test when the start the college to ensure correct groups. During the year students will do a short formal each half term to allow teahers to identify any areas of weakness and put in any required intervention. The students will also complete weekly recall tests in class and weekly reviews of 10 key areas of prior learning.
In Year 8 students will do mid KS3 assessment and will also continue to do short formal at the end of each half term. Students progress will be tracked and movement between the extended and core curriculum will take place if a students is making more or less than the required progress for the group they are in.As in Year 7, there is a weekly test of factual recall and of prior learning.
In Year 9 students will do one formal assessment at the end of KS3 and will also continue to do short formals. There are weekly tests of prior learning and weekly practice of solving unstructured problems. The progress of students in Year 9 is monitored carefully to ensure stdents are placed in the appropriate GCSE group in Year 10.
GCSE
In Year 10, students are split into three ability bands working at a higher, intermediate or foundation level. Higher and Intermediate groups will work towards higher tier GCSE ( grades 4-9).
In Year 11 students will be placed in a higher or foundation group depending on their tier of GCSE examination they will sit.
During Key stage 4 students will continue to develop their problem solving skills within the subject and will have regular practice of answering GCSE questions.
Intervention will be put in place for students who may require additional support to reach their potential.
GCSE Assessment
In Key Stage 4 all students will have 4 hours of maths a week.
Students follow the OCR(9-1) GCSE and will sit 3 papers for their final GCSE examination.
Papers 1,2,and 3 are for students sitting the foundation tier; papers 4,5 and 6 are for higher tier students.
All students will sit one non-calculator and two non calculator papers.
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Gifted and Talented Students
Transferable Skills
Mathematics is a subject that is well respected by employers. There are skills that we teach the students during their time at the college that will be transferable to different areas of life :
These include:
- Problem solving skills
- Written Commincation
- Team work
- Listening skills
- Numeracy skills
- Research & evaluation skills
- Verbal Communication
- Organisation and time management