Mathematics

At Samuel Ryder Academy the principal focus of mathematics at 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 4 operations: including with practical resources for example, concrete objects and measuring tools. Children are also guided to learn their multiplication and division facts.

We support children in their learning by providing them with opportunities to use concrete objects and/or act out an idea or skill. They also use visual, pictorial representations such as bar models to represent problems as well as using abstract representation – the symbolic stage where there is an understanding of formal methods.

We look to start showing the children that maths is in the world all around them and help them appreciate the importance of mathematical knowledge. Here are just some of the ideas we explore:

• Money: What do different coins and notes look like? How much money do I have in total?
• Measurements: How long is the table? How long is the classroom? Can this fit in here? How much does this orange weigh? Can I measure out 200g of flour for a recipe? Can I measure out 250ml of milk for a recipe? What is the temperature outside? Is that hot or cold?
• Time: How long is my lesson? How long is half an hour? If it takes me 20 minutes to get to school, what time will I get there? What time is it? What is the difference between AM and PM?
• Shape: What shape is the window? What shape is my pencil case? What does a pyramid look like? Can I draw different triangles?

We encourage our students to use their oracy skills in mathematics to discuss their reasoning and show their understanding of numbers and the maths all around us. The mathematics learnt in KS1 and the number skills learnt are the basis for all knowledge taught in KS2 onwards.

Ongoing teacher assessment is carried out in all areas of mathematics across years 1 and 2 to measure progress, fluency, and attainment.

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 1	Place Value, Addition and Subtraction, 2D Shapes, Money Position and Direction, Measuring Angles	Place Value, Number Facts, Addition and Subtraction, Fractions, 3D Shapes, Time, Money, Counting,	Place Value, Fractions, Multiplication and Division, Mensuration, Addition and Subtraction
Year 2	Place Value, Addition and Subtraction, 2D Shapes, Length, Money, Multiplication	3D Shape, Fraction, Division Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction	Time, Temperature, Weight, Capacity, Data, reviewing content

At Key Stage 2, children become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils have conceptual understanding and can recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems. Children will gain knowledge on how to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language. The curriculum enables our children to gain confidence with solving 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.

The principal focus of mathematics teaching in years 3 and 4 is to ensure that children become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. This should ensure that children develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers. Students use digital technologies to develop their proficiency and quick recall of their time tables with the regular use of Times Table Rockstars.

By years 5 and 6, children extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. This should develop the connections that children make between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages, and ratio. Oracy is used extensively in mathematics in KS2 particularly when problem solving to allow our students the discuss the different ways that we can solve problems and that different methods can lead to the same solutions and like our students to be creative in the way they apply the mathematics they have learnt.  We encourage all of our students to aspire the achieve the best they can and are given regular opportunities to reflect on their learning and identify areas of strength and areas for further development. The goal thorough out KS2 is to develop the children’s ability to apply their mathematical knowledge to more advanced problem-solving questions, preparing them for their Key Stage 3 mathematical journey.

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 3	Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division, Fractions, Place Value, Time, Length, 2D Shape, Capacity, Times Tables	Place Value, Addition and Subtraction, Time, Multiplication and Division, 3D Shape, Times Tables, Angles	Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division, 2D and 3D Shape, Statistics and Data, Fractions, Time, Weight
Year 4	Arithmetic, Measures, Fractions and Decimals, Time Length, Data	Place Value, Arithmetic, Fractions, 2D Shape, Mental Strategies, Measures	Arithmetic, Decimals, Area and Perimeter, 2D and 3D shape, Fractions and Decimals, Co-ordinates and Geometry, Statistics and Data, Fractions
Year 5	Arithmetic, Decimals and Fractions, Measures, Angles	Place Value, Arithmetic, 2D Shapes, Measures, Angles, 2D Shape, Angles	Arithmetic, Fractions, Co-ordinates, Geometry, 2D and 3D shape, Multiplication and division of fractions, Area and Perimeter, Volume, Fraction, decimals and Percentages
Year 6	Place Value, Algebra, Subtraction, Addition, Division, Directed Numbers, Fractions, Shape and Measure, Fractions and Percentages	Place Value, Multiplication of decimals and fractions, 2D shape, Angles, Arithmetic, Statistics and Data, Co-ordinate geometry, angles, Algebra, Ratio	Mental calculation strategies, arithmetic with decimals and fractions, written methods, ratio, properties of 2D shape, topics identified in practice SATs papers, solving problems, puzzles and reasoning.

 

We follow the National Curriculum (2014) at Key Stage 3 and our aim is not only to meet the needs of each student but also to stretch every individual beyond their perceived limits through an exciting, creative, and stimulating learning environment.

In year 7, students are taught in attainment groups based upon both Key Stage 2 SATs results, information provided by the primary school and internal baseline assessments undertaken during the first few weeks.

Through a knowledge-rich Key Stage 3 curriculum, all students learn to reason, communicate and think critically, preparing them to be life-long problem solvers. By demonstrating fluent use of accurate mathematical terminology, teachers exemplify the values and traditions of mathematics while incorporating digital technologies such as the extensive use of OneNote as a note taking resource and creative teaching approaches using visual tools such as GeoGebra to secure understanding. We also understand that oracy is a vital skill in developing our students’ ability to communicate mathematically and so students have regular opportunities to engage with discussion in mathematics lessons. The course content incorporates the six strands of mathematics:

• Number
• Algebra
• Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change
• Geometry
• Statistics
• Probability

Students are regularly assessed (approximately each fortnight) to monitor their progress. Following each assessment, students will undertake a reflection activity to identify areas of mastery and areas requiring further development. With fluidity built into the curriculum, group changes may be made throughout the academic year where it is deemed appropriate, and this flexibility to adjust groups, in order to best support each individual, continues throughout years 8 and 9. Students with special educational needs are catered for by adapted work in lessons, home-learning tasks and the provision of specialist support staff in some cases.

Teachers and students make full use of the Sparx Maths virtual learning environment as an excellent source of supplementary mathematics content. Each student is provided with individual login details with video tutorials available to help as required. In line with the Academy’s policy, to reinforce and extend skills, home-learning is set regularly by class teachers. The home-learning tasks vary within each teaching group to ensure students are given the opportunity to express their mathematical understanding through a range of media.

All mathematical equipment is required for all lessons, assessments, and examinations.

The recommended calculator is available from the Samuel Ryder Academy school shop (Casio fx-83GT CW Scientific Calculator)

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 7	Arithmetic, Algebra, Rounding, 2-D Shape, Coordinate Geometry, Graphs and Charts	Angles, Directed Numbers, Sequences, Multiples, Factors and Primes, Averages, Fractions	Pie Charts, Percentages, Probability, 3-D shape, Proportion, Transformations
Year 8	Decimal Arithmetic, Expressions, Standard Index Form, Angles, Mixed Numbers, Time and Money	Equations, Set Theory, Pythagoras' Theorem, Coordinate Geometry, Area and Perimeter, Fractions, Decimals and Percentages, Sequences	Inequalities, Compound Units, Similarity, Bearings and Scale, Constructions and Loci, Quadratic and Cubic Graphs, Transformations
Year 9	Arithmetic, Number, Rounding and Estimation, Expressions, Averages and Range, Area and Perimeter, Geometry	Volume and Surface Area, Right-Angled Triangles, Equations, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion	Sequences, Statistical Diagrams, Bearings and Scale, Coordinate Geometry, Standard Index Form

In years 10 and 11, students are taught largely in attainment groups based upon performance in the Key Stage 3 assessments undertaken during the Summer Term of year 9. Through a helical-wheel approach, with topics revisited and developed regularly, students continue their exploration of mathematics in Key Stage 4 with the GCSE goal in sight. While the curriculum content is designed to secure mastery of concepts through rigorous, intelligent practise, the context of the mathematics is designed to secure motivation and engagement of students at all levels. As the students progress through Key Stage 4, teaching methods gradually develop examination skills and confidence whilst also aiming to foster our students’ curiosity. By demonstrating fluent use of accurate mathematical terminology, teachers exemplify the values and traditions of mathematics while incorporating digital technologies, such as interactive simulations, online collaborative tools, and data visualization software, to enhance students' understanding, engagement, and proficiency in mathematical concepts and skills.

Year 10 students follow a structured curriculum with end-of-topic assessments scheduled fortnightly. The results of the assessments are used to feedback student progress and inform future lesson planning. We also allow students to reflect on errors made in mathematical calculations or reasoning and identifying the underlying misconceptions and to support them in setting goals for improvement. We have built a rigorous curriculum to allow our students to apply higher order thinking skills in numerous ways. Students need to critically evaluate different problem-solving strategies and determining which one is the most efficient or appropriate for a given situation. They also need to be able to transfer mathematical concepts and techniques learned in one context to solve problems in a different context.

Our objective is to prepare our students for life in modern Britain by ensuring they are able to:

• Consolidate their numerical and mathematical knowledge from Key Stage 3 and further extend their understanding of the number system, along with other mathematical concepts.
• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, developing conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
• Reason mathematically by following a line of inquiry, developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
• Solve problems by applying mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, using higher order thinking skills to break down problems into a series of simpler steps.

As such, students will further their understanding with the six curriculum areas from Key Stage 3 (Number; Algebra; Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change; Geometry; Statistics; Probability). There is no coursework element within GCSE mathematics. Students are assessed through three equally-weighted public examinations, following the Edexcel mathematics specification, at the end of year 11. The first paper is non-calculator while calculators are permitted during the second and third papers.

In working towards a successful outcome for all students, class teachers recognise each student’s individual starting point and circumstances. Where a year 11 student is identified to be at risk of not passing a GCSE in mathematics, the Department Leadership Team, in collaboration with the class teacher and the Inclusion Team will identify an alternative pathway. This pathway can take the form of an Entry Level Certificate in mathematics at Level 1, 2 or 3. In this way, we, ensure all students are provided with an equitable opportunity to achieve success and access their next step.

Teachers and students make full use of the MathsWatch virtual learning environment as an excellent source of supplementary mathematics content. Each student is provided with individual login details with video tutorials available to help as required. In line with the Academy’s policy, to reinforce and extend skills, home-learning is set regularly by class teachers. The home-learning tasks vary within each teaching group to ensure students are given the opportunity to express their mathematical understanding through a range of media.

All mathematical equipment is required for all lessons, assessments and examinations.

The recommended calculator is available from the Samuel Ryder Academy school shop (Casio fx-83GT CW Scientific Calculator).

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 10 Extension	Number, Probability, Compound Units, Inequalities, Angles, 3D Pythagoras and Trigonometry, Surds	Coordinate Geometry, Transformations, Set Theory, Advanced Trigonometry, Simultaneous Equations	Algebraic Fractions, Similarity and Congruence, Sampling, Circle Theorems, Algebraic Proof
Year 10 Core	Number, Probability, Compound Units, Inequalities, Angles, Frequency, Standard Index Form	Straight Line Graphs, Transformations, Right-Angled Triangles, Simultaneous Equations	Fractions, Similarity, Bearings and Scale, Sampling, Loci and Constructions, Ratio and Proportion
Year 11 Higher	Expressions, Circle Theorems, Graphs, Functions, Iteration, Vectors, Algebraic Proof	Algebraic Fractions, Congruence, Exponentials, Trigonometry, Transformations of Graphs	Exam preparation, revision of topics identified in March mock series
Year 11 Foundation	Fractions, Expressions, Number, Equations, Area and Perimeter, Volume and Surface Area, Angles, Averages, Right-Angled triangles	Probability, Inequalities, Ratio and Proportion	Exam preparation, revision of topics identified in March mock series

 

Mathematics is a popular A-Level choice at Samuel Ryder Academy and is currently being studied by a quarter of our year 12 Cohort. Our Key Stage 4 curriculum develops the knowledge and skills needed to study A-Level mathematics.

We follow the A-Level Edexcel mathematics specification, divided into two sections: Pure and Applied. There is a continued and increased focus on problem solving, mathematical argument, reasoning, and modelling.

In addition, students will become familiar with using large data sets to support their learning and assessment of statistics. We also offer qualifications in Further Mathematics and Core Mathematics. Further Mathematics is taken in conjunction with A-Level mathematics and develops and deepens mathematical knowledge. This course is vital for students who aspire to study mathematics beyond VI Form and can also support other studies in related subjects such as physics. Core mathematics is designed to allow students who wish to continue engaging with mathematics beyond GCSE despite not studying the full A-Level. The aim of the course is to strengthen their mathematical skills, critical thinking skills and look at applications of maths to a number of real-life situations.

We have a range of events and trips incorporated into the mathematics curriculum to help students develop enquiry, creative thinking, reasoning and evaluation skills. These include educational visits which in the past have included Bletchley Park, The Science Museum and the British Museum and our renowned mathematics week of enrichment activities where all students across the academy engage with an element of mathematics beyond the curriculum including being offered a number of leadership opportunities. We have also had guest speakers to discuss both mathematics beyond the scope of the curriculum as an enrichment opportunity as well as career and industry experts to discuss where mathematics can lead. Additionally, the mathematics department works collaboratively with staff across the Academy to ensure students appreciate how mathematics is applicable to all aspects of learning and life and is a vital skill to function in society.

Throughout the academic year, students have the opportunity to engage in a number of local and national competitions including: House mathematics relay competition, Puzzle of the Week, UKMT Individual and Team Mathematics Challenges and the Maths Week England competitions. Many of these challenges have seen our students win prestigious, nationally recognised awards.

As such, mathematics continues to be an incredibly popular subject at Samuel Ryder Academy. All students undertake mathematics from Reception through Year 11. A great proportion then choose to continue their mathematical studies in the VI Form by undertaking an A-Level in Mathematics or Core Maths, and many of those also supplement their study with the A-Level Further Mathematics course. Mathematics, and the skills gained from studying mathematics, can lead to a vast number of career opportunities. This includes careers in accountancy, education, economics, banking, actuarial science and engineering.

The mathematics department have an extensive library of mathematical books available for all students to borrow. We encourage our students to take the opportunity to use this resource as there is limited availability beyond our school to be able to read these books.

There are a number of excellent podcasts and YouTube channels that will allow students particularly interested in mathematics to see beyond the curriculum including: 3Blue1Brown, blackpenredpen, The infinite monkey cage (mostly science but has some mathematics episodes), Breaking Math podcast to name but a few. Numberphile also has a plethora of interesting videos by many inspiring mathematicians suitable for KS3 all the way to KS5.

KS3/4

Sparx Maths:

https://welcome.sparxmaths.uk/

Each student has a personalised account, enabling them to access a wealth of videos and interactive questions which are self-assessed, providing immediate feedback. Student homework will also be set via Sparx Maths.      

KS4

https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk/gcse.html

https://corbettmaths.com/ 

https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/maths-revision/gcse-questions-edexcel/ 

to access past papers and topic-based practice questions

KS5

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyyRmnmtgVy5Sm7_UiCLFgQ/playlists

https://www.jethwamaths.com/as-practice-papers.html

https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/maths-revision/a-level-edexcel/ 

https://www.madasmaths.com/