Mathematics
Intent – why do we teach what we teach in Mathematics?
Our intent for all our children is for them to become fluent in the basic mathematical concepts through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time. With strong fluency in mathematics, students will be able to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and be able to justify, explain, argue and generalise using mathematical methods and language. We will also develop our students to become problem-solvers by applying their knowledge of mathematics to routine and non-routine problems, while working efficiently and being able to break down a problem into simpler steps.
The mathematics journey will introduce and build on students’ knowledge of the six strands which are Number; Algebra; Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change; Geometry and Measures; Statistics and Probability. Through each key stage there will be varied content covered within the six strands. Number will be a fundamental focus in EYFS and Key Stage 1 and alongside multiplicative reasoning to unlock their development of the other strands across Key Stage 2 to 5.
All through we have high aspirations for our students and the aim is not to limit students but ensure all have access to a high-quality mathematics learning experience. Teachers have the autonomy to teach what is appropriate to their students and adapt for their needs. We expect that where students struggle, teachers adjust the curriculum appropriately to ensure that the students can access mathematical concepts through addressing gaps in prior knowledge and scaffolding learning where necessary. At the top end, we aim to provide opportunities for students to go deeper into their understanding rather than accelerate through the curriculum.
Implementation – how do we teach Mathematics?
EYFS and Key Stage 1
The principal focus of mathematics teaching in key stage 1 is to ensure that pupils develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value. This should involve working with numerals, words and the four operations, including with practical resources [for example, concrete objects and measuring tools]. At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes and use the related vocabulary. Teaching should also involve using a range of measures to describe and compare different quantities such as length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money. By the end of year 2, pupils should know the number bonds to 20 and be precise in using and understanding place value. An emphasis on practice at this early stage will aid fluency. Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary, at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge at key stage 1.
Lower Key Stage 2
The principal focus of mathematics teaching in lower key stage 2 is to ensure that pupils become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. This should ensure that pupils develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers. At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value. Teaching should also ensure that pupils draw with increasing accuracy and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties, and confidently describe the relationships between them. It should ensure that they can use measuring instruments with accuracy and make connections between measure and number. By the end of year 4, pupils should have memorised their multiplication tables up to and including the 12-multiplication table and show precision and fluency in their work. Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary correctly and confidently, using their growing word-reading knowledge and their knowledge of spelling.
Upper Key Stage 2
The principal focus of mathematics teaching in upper key stage 2 is to ensure that pupils extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. This should develop the connections that pupils make between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio. At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient written and mental methods of calculation. With this foundation in arithmetic, pupils are introduced to the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems. Teaching in geometry and measures should consolidate and extend knowledge developed in number. Teaching should also ensure that pupils classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the vocabulary they need to describe them. By the end of year 6, pupils should be fluent in written methods for all four operations, including long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages. Pupils should read, spell and pronounce mathematical vocabulary correctly.
Key Stage 3
In KS3, the curriculum is designed so that all students are learning the same topic at the same time. Teachers understand ways to progress through a topic by going deeper, making links with other areas of maths and by providing challenge through opportunities to reason and problem solve. The schemes of work are designed so that there is ‘core’ content followed by opportunities designed to stretch and extend identified as ‘core +’ or ‘advanced’.
The content in each year builds on topics and key concepts learnt in previous years. Students have opportunities to revisit prior learning through interleaving content taught in previous years and students are challenged through exposure to more challenging reasoning and problem-solving opportunities.
At KS4, the mathematics schemes of work broadly follow the AQA GCSE 8300 specification and builds on students prior learning from KS3.
Students will follow either the foundation or higher scheme of work depending on prior assessments and teacher judgement based on classwork and independent work. Problem-solving is at the heart of the new curriculum and opportunities to develop problem solving and reasoning skills in maths are embedded within each unit of work. Once students reach year 11, their teachers will decide upon how much they need to deviate away from the scheme of work based on thorough assessment. This takes place in lessons and through whole school mock exams.
At KS5, students face their greatest mathematical challenges to date. The linear curriculum is demanding as students must retain learned items for a longer period. In addition, students may be asked to model real-life situations and draw conclusions based on a variety of factors. Following the OCR B (MEI) specifications, students sit three assessments, Paper 1 covering pure and mechanics, Paper 2 covering pure and statistics and Paper 3 covering pure and comprehension.
KS5 Further Mathematicians will complete the full A Level Mathematics content in Year 12, following the OCR B specification. A taster of the further core topics will be given to ensure that students are sufficiently prepared to undertake A Level Further Mathematics. In Year 13 students will complete the full A Level Further Mathematics course, following the OCR A specification. The course consists of pure, statistics and mechanics topics that build on the knowledge gained from A Level Mathematics. In Year 13, all studnets will sit 3 papers for their A Level Mathematics Paper 1 covering pure and mechanics, Paper 2 covering pure and statistics and Paper 3 covering pure and comprehension. Further mathematicians will sit four additional papers, Papers 1 and 2 on the pure content and the other two papers on the applied components.
Impact – What are the outcomes from Mathematics?
In KS2 the impact on our children is evident through their progress, their learning and attainment. Formative assessments are carried out through; retrieval quizzes; weekly times table checks; live marking and pupil voice to monitor the children’s learning to provide ongoing assessment. This is used to identify any weaknesses in learning a child may have. To ensure that no child is left behind in their learning, our aim is to fill these gaps immediately by using methods such as conferencing, teacher feedback, re-visiting and after school boosters. Summative assessments are carried out through end of unit quizzes and termly assessments.
Children have many opportunities to explore and develop their mathematical skills through almost all subjects and various methods of learning. We want our children to link their understanding of mathematics and all learning to be successful in their real life and to have a broad understanding of the wider world.
In KS3 teachers use formative assessment to help decide on what they should do next with students and the progress students are making. This allows them to understand how to support and extend their students appropriately. There are two assessment points students sit a formal assessment paper that assesses the content previously studied. These assessments address the three key elements of the curriculum: fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Where students underperform in either the formative or summative assessments, the teacher intervenes (either inside or outside of lesson time) and then re-assess to judge the impact of the intervention.
From the start of KS4, the assessments are tiered according to the GCSE tiers, foundation and higher, and the questions in the papers are a mixture of fluency and problem solving, a similar format to what students will meet in the GCSE. All students should leave with a GCSE in Mathematics or at the very least, an appropriate certificate in some mathematical study. From here students can use their qualification to progress their careers appropriately, for some, this may be the working world, for others, an appropriate mathematical course at a college or 6th form. This could lead to further study of Mathematics or related subjects at a Higher Education institute. At GCSE in 2023 over 74% of the students secured a pass at Grade 4 or above; with the average grade of 5 for 203 students in the cohort.
A level Maths and Further Maths are both popular subjects with a 100% pass rate in 2023 with over 60% of students securing a grade C and above in A level Maths and over 66% achieving a grade C and above in Further Maths.
There are also number of students who go on to study Mathematics at higher education institutions, some highlights are below:
2022 – Rizvi – Mathematics at Queen Mary University of London
2022 – Tasneem – Mathematics and Business at University of Greenwich
2022 – Nahian – Mathematics at Queen Mary University of London
2023 – Reece – Finance and Investing at the University of Kent
2023 – Alexander – Mechanical Engineering at Nottingham Trent University
Exam Board Information
GCSE Syllabus Studied – AQA Mathematics
A Level Syllabus Studied – OCR B (MEI) Mathematics
Documents
| Maths Curriculum Map | Download |
