Curriculum Implementation

The Maths curriculum is a 5 year journey (7 years for those who take Maths in VI Form.) Maths structures the curriculum content into a 3-year Key Stage 3, a 2 year KS4 and a 2 year KS5 curriculum. The Maths curriculum is a progressive model.

Subject specialists have given consideration and thought to the sequence and rationale of the curriculum; why we teach the content we do and in the order that we do. This is to ensure knowledge is not isolated information; it is connected knowledge that enables comprehension.

At Key Stage 3, the full National Curriculum is delivered. The Maths curriculum is organised into units. Each unit builds on prior knowledge allowing connections to be made and enables knowledge to be transferable. In Maths, we believe this facilitates deeper comprehension. The unit content taught is chosen so lessons focus on developing deeper understanding and capacity for skilful performance.

At Key Stage 4, the full Maths Edexcel GCSE is delivered. Content is structured into units. The curriculum is designed to ensure students develop and master mathematical fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content. Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding

At Key Stage 5 the AQA A Level Maths specification is delivered. Content is structured into units. The curriculum is designed to ensure students further develop mathematical fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content. Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding

Student voice has been conducted to ensure that students have a contribution to the curriculum content. This has resulted in more regular Low Stakes quizzing being introduced at KS3 and monthly quizzes at KS4.

The Maths Department is a member of the North West Maths Hub (NW3) and Advanced Mathematics Support Programme.

and works alongside the School Improvement Partners to quality assure our curriculum and ensure that it provides a high quality and comprehensive curriculum for all.

Pedagogical approach

The pedagogical approach for Maths adheres to the LLT Teaching and Learning Policy. Subject specialists deliver the Maths curriculum through50 ,55-minute lessons per fortnight

Rosenshine and ‘Teach Like a Champion’ strategies are implemented in all lessons and lesson episodes are designed to enable students to store knowledge into the long-term memory.

Lessons

Tasks and activities are engaging and whenever possible are linked to local context, careers and progression and develop cultural capital the inclusion through opportunities

Lessons are structured to enable students to review/retrieve prior knowledge and activate it to make connections with new learning. This is through ‘Do It Now’ tasks at the start of each lesson

In each lesson, students are informed what they are learning and what the outcomes for the lesson are. We call these ‘WALT’ (What we are all learning today,) and ‘WILF’ (What I’m Looking For.)

New information is delivered in small steps and models are provided to support student comprehension. In each lesson, students experience worked examples (“I do”), followed by a “We do” or a “You do”.

Lessons provide opportunities for students to practise applying their new learning. This may include guided and/or independent practice.

Questioning is used to inform adaptive teaching, and this includes techniques such as ‘right is right’ to ensure students accurately and clearly articulate their responses.

Students are asked to complete practical based activities such as whiteboard questions” to address common misconceptions and “turn and talk” to develop and articulate their Mathematical thinking.

Students develop essential knowledge and then apply it in activities that ‘bring it all together.’ This ensures they connect knowledge and learning.

We assess an ever expanding curriculum. Assessment takes place in the form of formative and summative assessment tasks. These are carefully considered and link directly to the curriculum intent for the half term. Summative assessment samples from the whole curriculum to date – not just what has been taught most recently.

Clear ‘essential knowledge reading’ activities are provided to support reading development and provide depth and breadth to the curriculum. A sequence of lessons will include problem solving and practice style questions. We focus on reading questions and being clear on what is being asked.

Literacy

In Maths, teachers clearly communicate their subject discipline using appropriate vocabulary. Vocabulary instruction is integrated into all classrooms.

In Maths, students are provided with opportunities to hear, see, and use new vocabulary. Teachers develop vocabulary using Beck et al’ tiers of vocabulary, including the use of command words, Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary.

In Maths, we provide opportunities for students to ‘bring together’ knowledge developed. To develop oracy, the Maths Department encourages students to use appropriate mathematical vocabulary, to work with others through “turn and talk”, to clarify and explain their answers to deepen understanding.