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“Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers.” – Shakuntala Devi

Intent

The intent of the ambitious maths curriculum is to provide all students regardless of prior learning with the skills and knowledge necessary for them to:

understand and appreciate the uses of maths in everyday life and
have the necessary knowledge and attainment in maths to allow then to proceed onto a post 16 pathway of their choosing.

Our knowledge rich curriculum is intended to give students mathematical fluency, to be able to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately and to prepare them for life beyond Oulton Academy.

Our intention is for students to develop their logical processing skills, to solve problems in both abstract and concrete contexts, so they can apply these skills across various disciplines. Teaching for understanding is a critical element of our five-year curriculum. Our curriculum is organised into ‘small-steps’ so students can secure their rich knowledge and build upon it in sequential steps. Topics are taught, revisited and developed upon throughout the five years to reinforce and deepen knowledge and understanding. Real world topics are built into the curriculum in areas such as finance, timetables, time, estimation, use of calculators, units of measurement, ratio and proportion that will prepare them for modern life.

The academy’s student demographic is spread over the entire range of deprivation indices within the UK with many students being in areas of <3 for Crime, Living Environment, Health and Disability and Education and Training. It is essential that these cohorts understand the usefulness of maths in everyday life.

Implement

(Pre KS3) + Key Stage 3:

At Oulton Academy, we have close relationships with our primary feeder school colleagues. Through our comprehensive Year 6 into 7 transition programme ‘Stepping Up’ this means we have a wealth of information, particularly for vulnerable students. Our current year 7 cohort, 2022-2023 has 34% PP cohort.

We know that a focus on numeracy is paramount at this stage of education. Students are taught in ability groups for the majority of subjects. These groupings are initially based on performance at Key Stage 2 using Analyse Schools Performance - QLA – Year 7. (See attached)

Analyse-Schools-Performance-QLA-Year-7.pdfIn mathematics we utilise the data from KS2 to target key areas of development so we can adapt our KS3 curriculum accordingly. We have built space within our curriculum which can be used for either the consolidation or development of these key target areas.

In KS3 our students will work around a skills-based curriculum to develop their mathematical fluency and creativity in problem solving. This will also give students the experience of forming mathematical arguments and reasoning at all levels of attainment. In KS3 students develop a deep appreciation of the patterns and relationships between numbers and to provide a firm foundation with the tools of algebra, geometry and statistics to enable students to solve problems in both abstract and real-world contexts. The Gold Zone allows students to use their initiative, build their resilience and reflect on their progress. Students will develop their skills across all branches of mathematics as we build on KS2 knowledge.

Key Stage Four:

As students move to KS4 they will build on their embedded skills as we ensure they continue to develop their fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills in order to be successful in their GCSE exam and life after Oulton. Where appropriate, the scheme will reflect skills students need in the real world as the maths is presented in a real life context as we develop students’ cultural capital. Students work towards the Edexcel GCSE Specification, again taught in small steps to aid knowledge retention and set them up for success. To advance student opportunities to study mathematics at a higher level, our higher attaining students also have the opportunity to work towards the AQA Level 2 Further Maths qualification.

Review and Evaluate

The maths department are continually striving to develop their own teaching practice, drawing upon the latest research, exam marking experience, and meeting with our wider network of schools. Our curriculum is therefore a “live document” that is reviewed and reshaped according to the needs of our students, to ensure they achieve their potential, and go on to flourish in the wider world.

Further Information

If you require more detailed information, please email the Head of Department. Ms Hall’s:

khl@oa.catrust.uk

Home Learning

SparxMaths is one of the best ways for your child to learn maths on their own at home.

Click here to login.

Year 7

What will I be studying?

Students in Year 7 will be studying topics in the National Curriculum. Students will cover topics from the 5 core strands within Maths: number, geometry, algebra, data and ratio and proportion. The curriculum is designed so that students will revisit and build upon these topics throughout their time at Oulton Academy. Students will develop their fluency in these topics as well as reasoning and problem solving.

Half term	Strand	Topics
1	Number	Place value and decimals Factors and Multiples The four operations
2	Number	Understanding Fractions Four operations with fractios
3	Number Algebra	Fractions, decimals and percentages Order of operations Introduction to algebra Manipulating expressions
4	Algebra Data	Solving equations The data handling cycle
5	Geometry	2D and 3D shapes Area and Perimeter including compound shapes Area and circumference of circles
6	Geometry	Angles Transformations

Career Links

Careers – there are many links to careers such as those in the financial sector, architecture and joinery.

How will I be assessed?

Students will be assessed by three summative assessments throughout the year. They are 1 hour in length. The first assessment is a baseline assessment to assess knowledge retain from KS2 and to identify any gaps in knowledge. The following two assessments (in half term 4 and 6) are cumulative. They are based on knowledge learned up to the point of assessment. Revision lists will be provided at least two weeks before each assessment.

Students may also complete small topic assessments in lessons as well as iterative starters and weekly Sparx homework to aid knowledge retention over time.

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

Sparx Maths

https://sparxmaths.com/

All homework will be set through Sparx Maths. Students will also be able to access revision skills through Spax. Revision lists will include Sparx codes. Students will create their own login information. If you have any questions, please speak to your child’s maths teacher.

Corbett Maths

https://corbettmaths.com/5-a-day/gcse/

Daily mixed GCSE style questions. Answers are included. Revision lists will also include Corbett Maths video numbers.

Year 8

What will I be studying?

Students in Year 8 will be studying topics in the National Curriculum. Students will cover topics from the 5 core strands within Maths: number, geometry, algebra, data and ratio and proportion. The curriculum is designed so that students will revisit and build upon these topics throughout their time at Oulton Academy. Students will develop their fluency in these topics as well as reasoning and problem solving.

Half term	Strand	Topics
1	Number Ratio	Percentages Fractions and Percentages Ratio and proportional reasoning
2	Geometry Algebra	Angles between parallel lines Sequences and patterns Special non- arithmetic Sequences
3	Algebra Data Geometry	Graphs Probability Circumference and Area
4	Geometry Ratio	3D Shapes Volume Proportional reasoning
5	Geometry	Constructions Similarity and Congruence
6	Data	Presenting data Probability

Career Links

Careers related to topics covered in Year 8 include product design, data scientist, analyst and bricklaying.

How will I be assessed?

Students will be assessed by three summative assessments throughout the year in half term 2, 4 and 6. They are 1 hour in length. The assessments are cumulative. They are based on knowledge learned up to the point of assessment. Revision lists will be provided at least two weeks before each assessment.

Students may also complete small topic assessments in lessons as well as iterative starters and weekly Sparx homework to aid knowledge retention over time.

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

Sparx Maths

https://sparxmaths.com/

Corbett Maths

https://corbettmaths.com/5-a-day/gcse/

Daily mixed GCSE style questions. Answers are included. Revision lists will also include Corbett Maths video numbers.

Year 9

What will I be studying?

Students in Year 9 will be studying topics in the National Curriculum and the GCSE Maths curriculum as Y9 is the bridging year into GCSE skills. Students will follow one of two routes depending on their prior attainment and can move between routes. Students will cover topics from the 5 core strands within Maths: number, geometry, algebra, data and ratio and proportion. The curriculum is designed so that students will revisit and build upon these topics throughout their time at Oulton Academy. Students will develop their fluency in these topics as well as reasoning and problem solving.

Half term	Strand	Route 1	Strand	Route 2
1	Number	Decimals and Place Value	Number	Number skills
		Negative numbers		Index laws
		Order of operations		Standard form
		Powers and roots		Surds
2	Algebra	Manipulating expressions	Algebra	Manipulating expressions
		Solving equations		Solving equations
	Geometry	Angle geometry	Geometry	Angle geometry
3	Geometry	Pythagoras and trigonometry	Geometry	Pythagoras and trigonometry
	Number	Fractions	Number	Fractions
		Percentages		Percentages
			Ratio	Ratio
4	Number	Standard form	Geometry	Area and perimeter
	Algebra	Applying solving equations		Circles
				Volume
5	Algebra	Inequalities	Number	Bounds
		Sequences	Algebra	Quadratics
		Ratio and proportion		Simultaneous equations
6	Geometry	Area, perimeter and volume	Algebra	Graphs

Career Links

Careers linked to topics covered in Year 9 include mathematician, research scientist, software developer, engineer and economist.

How will I be assessed?

Students will be assessed by three summative assessments throughout the year in half term 2, 4 and 6. They are 1 hour cumulative assessments. They are based on knowledge learned up to the point of assessment. As Year 9 is the transition year to the GCSE curriculum, it is the first time assessments will be split into Higher and Foundation Tier. This is to help prepare students for the GCSE tier system. This is in no way fixed, if a student sits a foundation paper in Y9, it does not necessarily mean they will sit the foundation tier in Year 11. Students will sit the tier most appropriate for them. Revision lists will be provided at least two weeks before each assessment.

Students may also complete small topic assessments in lessons as well as iterative starters and weekly Sparx homework to aid knowledge retention over time.

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

Sparx Maths

https://sparxmaths.com/

Corbett Maths

https://corbettmaths.com/5-a-day/gcse/

Daily mixed GCSE style questions. Answers are included. Revision lists will also include Corbett Maths video numbers.

On Maths

https://www.onmaths.com/mock_exams/?archiveType=minimocks

Interactive papers with immediate feedback

Maths Genie

https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk/resources/selfassessment.pdf

Questions broken down into grades and topics for targeted revision

KS4 - Edexcel GCSE Maths

What will I be studying?

Students will be following the Edexcel GCSE Maths specification. Maths is a cumulative subject; students will need knowledge and skills from KS3 into KS4. The GCSE is made up of skills relating to the core strands of mathematics, number, shape, algebra, data and ratio and proportion. The core skills of the GCSE will be covered in Year 10 and revised and built upon in Year 11. Unlike other subjects, maths does not have topics specific to a paper, any topic can come up on any paper.

Students will follow one of two routes depending on their prior attainment and can move between routes. Students will cover topics from the 5 core strands within Maths: number, geometry, algebra, data and ratio and proportion. The curriculum is designed so that students will revisit and build upon these topics throughout their time at Oulton Academy. Students will develop their fluency in these topics as well as reasoning and problem solving.

Year 10

Half term

Strand

Route 1

Strand

Route 2

Geometry

Algebra

Area, perimeter and volume

Equations and inequalities

Graphs

Number

Algebra

Ratio

Indices

Standard form

Equations, inequalities and sequences

Ratio and Proportion

Algebra

Geometry

Graphs

Transformations

Geometry

Area, perimeter and volume

Circles, cylinders, cones and spheres

Geometry

Data

Constructions and loci

Averages and range

Geometry

Algebra

Transformations

Graphs

Data

Representing data

Probability

Algebra

Data

Graphs

Data handling

Number

Geometry

Multiplicative reasoning

Trigonometry

Data

Data handling

Averages and range

Geometry

Trigonometry

Similarity and congruence

Data

Probability

Year 11

Half term	Strand	Route 1	Strand	Route 2
1	Data Number	Probability Multiplicative reasoning	Geometry Algebra Geometry	Similarity and congruence Quadratics and graphs Circle geometry
2	Algebra Geometry	Quadratics Plans and Elevations Constructions and loci Bearings	Geometry Algebra	Vectors and Proof Algebraic fractions Surds Algebraic proof Functions
3	Geometry Algebra	Similarity and congruence Vectors Rearranging equations Cubic and reciprocal graphs	Algebra	Reciprocal and exponential graphs Gradient and area under a curve
4		PPE and revision of key topics		PPE and revision of key topics
5		Revision and preparation for the GCSE exam		Revision and preparation for the GCSE exam
6

Career Links

Careers linked to topics covered in Year 9 include mathematician, research scientist, software developer, engineer and economist.

How will I be assessed?

The GCSE Mathematics is assessed by three 90minute exams, two calculator and one non-calculator. It gives students a total score out of 240 in order to assign a grade. Students sitting the Foundation paper can achieve grades 1-5 and students sitting the Higher paper can achieve grades 4-9. Students will sit the tier most appropriate for them.

In Year 10 students will be assessed by three GCSE style assessments throughout the year in half term 1, 3 and 6. The first two assessments will be 1 hour papers, one will be calculator and one non-calculator. The assessment in half term 6 will consist of a full set of 3 GCSE papers as part of students first set of PPEs (pre-public examinations). This is to prepare them for Y11. Revision lists will be provided at least two weeks before each assessment.

In Year 11 there will be two sets of PPEs, one in half term 2 and one in half term 4 where students will sit a full set of 3 GCSE papers.

Students may also complete small topic assessments in lessons as well as iterative starters and weekly Sparx homework to aid knowledge retention over time.

Which examination board am I following?

Exam board: Edexcel

Link to the specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/mathematics-2015.html

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

Sparx Maths

https://sparxmaths.com/

Corbett Maths

https://corbettmaths.com/5-a-day/gcse/

Daily mixed GCSE style questions. Answers are included. Revision lists will also include Corbett Maths video numbers.

On Maths

https://www.onmaths.com/mock_exams/?archiveType=minimocks

Interactive papers with immediate feedback