Curriculum Statement - Mathematics
“Mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations or algorithms: it is about understanding.” – William Paul Thurston
Powerful Knowledge in Mathematics
Our curriculum aims to empower students to develop and apply problem solving skills focusing predominantly on the powerful and overarching mathematical components: proportional reasoning, geometrical reasoning and graphical representations.
Our aim is to encourage students to develop mathematical behaviour and as such our curriculum encourages students to develop deeper understanding to make links across curriculum areas and foster a mastery approach.
Curriculum Features
At all levels, students are provided with opportunities to behave mathematically. The emphasis is on empowering students to notice, make connections, explain, justify, conjecture, prove.
We adopt a Mastery approach with one set of mathematical concepts and big ideas for all. We encourage students to deploy particular models to support their development (ratio tables, area model, graphing) as well as draw a pictorial representation to make sense of a given situation.
Challenge is provided through depth rather than acceleration. These beliefs are in line with the current National College of Excellence in Teaching Mathematics drive on Mastery.
Co Curriculum Enrichment
Students will be offered a wide variety of opportunities and experiences that widen their appreciation of mathematics and the world around it. These will include:
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Developing an appreciation of some aspects of finance and more creative mathematics
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“Maths society community” leading to taking part in national competitions such as the UK Mathematics Individual Challenge and Team challenges
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Code breaking with opportunities to visit Bletchley Park
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Origami
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Maths in different cultures
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Opportunities to further explore mathematical ideas with key exponents in the mathematics community
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Students will be encouraged to read extracts around mathematics
KS3
Throughout KS3 students are provided with opportunities to behave mathematically. The emphasis is on empowering students to notice, make connections, explain, justify, conjecture, prove.
We adopt a Mastery approach developing mathematical concepts and big ideas. Students are encouraged to deploy particular models to support their development (ratio tables, area model, graphing) as well as draw a pictorial representation to make sense of a given situation.
Challenge is provided through depth rather than acceleration. These beliefs are in line with the current National College of Excellence in Teaching Mathematics drive on Mastery.
Within year seven students study multiplication and division, ratio tables and the area model, sequences and describing relationships, coordinates and interpretation of graphs and symmetry, refection and rotation.
During year eight students build upon this work through the study of powers and prime numbers, percentages and ratios, Pythagoras’ theorem, sequences, solving equations graphically, collecting and analysing data and the beginnings of formal proof.
In year nine students deepen their mathematical understanding through the study of surds, conversions, circles and Pythagoras in context, linear equations and quadratic sequences, simultaneous equations, probability, trigonometry and translation.
KS4
Students study the AQA specification during key stage four. The course develops builds upon the work completed during key stage three developing a secure understanding of number, algebra, ratio, geometry, probability and statistics.
Further detail is available on the exam board website below
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/mathematics/gcse/mathematics-8300