Patchway Community School

Maths

 


MATHEMATICS 

The Mathematics Department 

At Patchway, we want our students to: study maths beyond GCSE; develop a love of mathematics and to acquire skills and knowledge that is transferable to the real world. We want to ensure our learners are able to adapt to situations and solve problems. In years 7 - 11, students will develop an understanding of how to solve problems whilst developing their resilience and ability to adapt their approach in order to be successful. Students will learn how to reason and communicate logically and concisely as well as equipping them with a toolkit for analysing and solving problems. We aim to produce learners that have inquisitive minds and a love of learning allowing them to spot patterns in the world around them.

 

We use the Craig Barton approach to teaching maths in the way lessons are sequenced and planned, underpinned by a strong emphasis on modelling and use of increasingly difficult questions to get them to think applying maths skills to a variety of different problems rather than learning explicit skills. Time for students to practice is embedded in the planning, together with time to support students’ areas of weakness. Extracurricular maths enriches the experience in Years 7-10, for example with the UKMT Maths Challenges, UWE Fun Maths Roadshow and university visits organised through the Advanced Maths support programme (AMSP). 

 

Key Stage 3

 

The year 7 and 8 curriculum ensures that all students reach the required standard for their age group which we have defined as “secure” and which is detailed in the subject curriculum assessment framework. The curriculum structure allows for the more able students to be challenged through extension activities, linking different strands of maths to skills and ultimately mastering topics so that students acquire a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of mathematics through their learning. For homework in KS3 we use Hegarty Maths, this is set on a weekly basis and covers topics previously covered in order to act as a form of reviewing and recalling skills.  Exam type assessments take place after every topic to further check understanding and ensure gaps in skills and knowledge can be filled in subsequent lessons. Therapy weeks also take place at KS3 every term to close gaps in knowledge and skills.

 

Key Stage 4

 

All through the GCSE, topics are taught in strands of: number, algebra, geometry and measures, ratio and proportion, probability and statistics.  This sequencing of topics in the scheme of learning allows us to really focus in on linking skills together and ensuring that we can develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and how it can be applied in context. We assess these topics regularly through the course. Students will have an assessment after each topic that is designed to diagnose any potential issues and then put in intervention to support students. We’ve designed the curriculum in a way that allows students to be challenged and stretched in each topic whilst also providing the links to the other topics for students to understand how you might need a variety of skills to solve multistep problems in mathematics. We allow enough time in our curriculum to finish the majority of the content by the mock examinations in year 11 (usually late November).  The remainder of the curriculum in Year 11 is based on analysis of mocks; we personalise the learning for all students by working on their skills deficits based upon their performance in the mock examinations.

 

Key Stage 5

A-level Mathematics is covered by the Edexcel course and topics are: core and applied (mechanics and statistics). There are three 2 hour examinations at the end of the course. Two of the papers are based on all the core aspects and the other paper is split between mechanics and statistics. The teaching of this course is split into content for year 1 and 2. We teach the content in a sequence of doing all the core aspects first followed by the applied for year 1. At the end of year 1 they will be examined on all the content through their mock examinations. After each topic taught students receive an Independent learning task that is examination based questions based upon the content they’ve been learning.

 

 

 

 Hegarty Maths