Mathematics

Key Stage 3 Mathematics Curriculum Intent

Our core purpose at KS3 is to deliver an engaging and challenging curriculum through outstanding teaching and learning. We aim to make our pupils “GCSE Ready” by the end of Key Stage 3 and to make them confident and responsible members of the school and wider community. The sequencing of the curriculum enables students to build on their knowledge and skills towards agreed end points.

Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It 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. The mathematics curriculum at Meopham School aims to develop character by ensuring that all pupils:

Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which pupils are able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas throughout the year. The scheme of work for key stage 3 is organised into distinct domains, where pupils will build on key stage 2 knowledge and skills and connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. They will also have opportunities to apply their mathematical knowledge in science, geography, computing and other subjects.

Decisions about progression will be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly will be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content in preparation for key stage 4. Those who are not sufficiently fluent will consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on.

In KS3 pupils will be taught in ability groups which match their strengths & interests with regards to mathematics. Each class is assigned a separate, named, programme of study which will follow the class throughout the year with pathways to match pupils’ attainment targets. As a department we feel very strongly about developing pupils love for the subject and create a deeper understanding of the processes involved. Afternoon lessons at KS3 will have a completely different feel to them. These lessons will give students a real opportunity to think logically, solve problems, work in groups, develop their oracy skills and challenge their way of thinking. There will be a real “buzz” in the air as you walk into a KS3 maths lesson and pupils will be given every opportunity to develop their resourcefulness, resilience, reciprocity and reflectiveness.

Key Stage 4 Mathematics Curriculum Intent

Our core purpose at KS4 is to deliver an engaging and challenging curriculum through outstanding teaching and learning. We aim to give them the best opportunities to learn the KS4 curriculum, to have the best possible outcomes for their GCSE examinations in year 11 and to make them confident and responsible members of the school and wider community. The sequencing of the curriculum enables students to build on their knowledge and skills towards agreed end points. Year 9 is taught as a transition year between KS3 and KS4. Lessons in year 9 will have the same feel as year 7 and 8 while teaching content from the GCSE curriculum.

Through the mathematics content, pupils should be taught to:

Develop fluency

consolidate their numerical and mathematical capability from key stage 3 and extend their understanding of the number system to include powers, roots {and fractional indices}
select and use appropriate calculation strategies to solve increasingly complex problems, including exact calculations involving multiples of π {and surds}, use of standard form and application and interpretation of limits of accuracy
consolidate their algebraic capability from key stage 3 and extend their understanding of algebraic simplification and manipulation to include quadratic expressions, {and expressions involving surds and algebraic fractions}
extend fluency with expressions and equations from key stage 3, to include quadratic equations, simultaneous equations and inequalities
move freely between different numerical, algebraic, graphical and diagrammatic representations, including of linear, quadratic, reciprocal, {exponential and trigonometric} functions
use mathematical language and properties precisely.

Reason mathematically

extend and formalise their knowledge of ratio and proportion, including trigonometric ratios, in working with measures and geometry, and in working with proportional relations algebraically and graphically
extend their ability to identify variables and express relations between variables algebraically and graphically
make and test conjectures about the generalisations that underlie patterns and relationships; look for proofs or counter-examples; begin to use algebra to support and construct arguments {and proofs}
reason deductively in geometry, number and algebra, including using geometrical constructions
interpret when the structure of a numerical problem requires additive, multiplicative or proportional reasoning
explore what can and cannot be inferred in statistical and probabilistic settings, and express their arguments formally
assess the validity of an argument and the accuracy of a given way of presenting information.

Solve problems

develop their mathematical knowledge, in part through solving problems and evaluating the outcomes, including multi-step problems
develop their use of formal mathematical knowledge to interpret and solve problems, including in financial contexts
make and use connections between different parts of mathematics to solve problems
model situations mathematically and express the results using a range of formal mathematical representations, reflecting on how their solutions may have been affected by any modelling assumptions
select appropriate concepts, methods and techniques to apply to unfamiliar and non-routine problems; interpret their solution in the context of the given problem.

In KS4 pupils will be taught in ability groups within the Foundation or Higher pathway. These sets match their strengths, abilities & interests with regards to mathematics. Each class is assigned a separate, named, programme of study which will follow the class throughout the year with pathways to match pupils’ attainment targets. As a department we feel very strongly about developing pupils love for the subject and create a deeper understanding of the processes involved. These lessons will give students a real opportunity to think logically, solve problems, work in groups, develop their oracy skills and challenge their way of thinking. Pupils will be given every opportunity to develop their resourcefulness, resilience, reciprocity and reflectiveness.