Mathematics
Maths Curriculum Statement
Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected discipline that is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. Pupils should make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems.
Intent
1. To develop, maintain and stimulate students' curiosity, interest and enjoyment in mathematics. To nurture the development of a logical and methodical mind-set, as well helping to facilitate focus and competency over a range of problems from the wider world. At Key stage 3 to use White Rose Maths to help pupils connect concepts and build their knowledge through investigation and the development of conceptual understanding.
2. To develop students’ grasp of declarative formulaic knowledge, procedural practice based knowledge, and the conditional knowledge within Mathematics to solve a wide range of problems. To help students to understand how they can build their knowledge into a larger picture and apply a variety of skills to one context. To ensure that students regularly see consistent algebraic formulae, which they recognise, and can, apply correctly through repetitive application to a variety of contexts.
3. To increase links within the subject, so that students can begin to see the implicit connections between topics and build their understanding of its place within the wider curriculum. To endeavour to link with closely linked disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Computing) to support students to see Maths within the other aspects of the curriculum. To interleave topics such that students do not study stand-alone knowledge but begin to see the bigger picture and the natural patterns within Mathematics.
4. To provide the pupils with opportunities to review learning at regular intervals through retrieval practice, building long-term memory and fluency of recall. To enhance pupils metacognitive skills allowing them to link their knowledge to past and future learning. To ensure that students have an understanding of why Maths is applied in the way it is, as is appropriate to their level, and ensure that students build capacity over time to find new knowledge themselves.
5. To assess students’ knowledge through a range of mediums at regular intervals so that they can reflect in a meaningful way, and receive timely and effective feedback, to consolidate their own understanding. To use appropriate systems (Pinpoint etc.) to give students the time to identify gaps in their understanding and use their time to practise appropriate skills individually.
6. To ensure that a range endpoints are achievable for all KS3, 4 and 5 students, which allow success at all levels and ensure that appropriate next steps are available. To provide appropriate supplementary qualifications such as Entry Level Certificate, Functional Skills and Core Maths to give a range of opportunities to all learners to allow them to access their next steps. To allow students to develop transferable skills and informed opinions about their mathematics and to be able to support them through reasonable arguments.
7. A development of a wide curriculum, which can support all learners, including a range of SEN so that all teaching staff feel well equipped to provide success to all levels of students. To have high expectations for the capability of all groups of learners, and to provide appropriate individualised support to ensure all students can achieve their full potential. To evaluate the provision regularly for all barriers to learning and to consistently adapt teaching to remove them for all students.
8. To build citizens of the world by ensuring the curriculum builds cultural capital through application to real world situations, alongside ensuring that goals for results give students potential to achieve their next steps. Cultivating an environment of academic curiosity and enquiry so that students can develop problem-solving skills to be applied outside of the subject. To ensure that students have the opportunity to discuss, challenge and question ideas so that they can develop their own understanding of the world around them through mathematics. Ensuring that all elements of mathematics are given context to allow students to link their knowledge to its application, and to ensure all students see the value beyond their results.
Implementation
To implement the intended curriculum several organisational frameworks are used:
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Departmental SOW that balance knowledge and skills, building components to create composite learning.
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Departmental curriculum review frameworks to support the review of the curriculum offer and assessment practice.
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Maximising learning provides a framework for the development of effective pedagogical approaches.
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Language for learning provides a framework to create successful approaches to support pupils understanding of the language used within Mathematics: how to read, write and reason effectively.
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Maximising effectiveness provides CPD opportunities within the Academy to further generate an enthusiasm and enjoyment of individuals professional practice.
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Coaching within the maths department provides opportunities for reflecting on current research, sharing good practice and offering non-judgemental feedback to support development.
Impact
The department’s continued focus of the curriculum improves:
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The quality of education for all learners and groups of learners.
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The personal development and well-being of learners.
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The chances for pupils to move successfully onto the next stage of their lives.
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The cultural, economic and societal capital to become citizens of the world.
Please click on the link below in order to access the KS3-5 Curriculum map: