Welcome to Maths

We study Mathematics as it is a creative and highly interconnected 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.  

Mathematics is a unique subject in the way that we solve problems using abstractions and identifying patterns to make logical deductions and predictions from facts presented or assumed. We provide 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 scheme of learning developed was built around the content changes to the National curriculum and on the philosophy of teaching for mastery. To this extent, the curriculum is designed such that it reflects the linear nature of Mathematics with opportunities to revisit and consolidate learning so that concepts are not superficially covered but learnt and understood in greater depth. We took the programmes of study from the DfE for both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 and have created a curriculum a 5 year course with exemplar activities and resources to support students learning under the Pearson’s model. 

At Ark Alexandra, we have adapted the scheme of learning to ensure it is the best possible curriculum for our cohort of students and to also consider their context including the number of lessons we have each week and the timings of our lessons.  

The principals we are striving for in terms of the mastery curriculum encompass the following goals below: 

• Quick and efficient recall of facts and procedures and the flexibility to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics 

• Connecting new ideas to concepts that have already been understood, and ensuring that, once understood and mastered, new ideas are used again in next steps of learning, all steps being small steps 

• Representations used in lessons expose the mathematical structure being taught, the aim being that students can do the maths without recourse to the representation 

• If taught ideas are to be understood deeply, they must not merely be passively received but must be worked on by the student: thought about, reasoned with and discussed with others. 

  Throughout the lower years, we give students opportunities to; 

• become fluent in the basic concepts of Mathematics 

• solve problems by using learned skills to integrate and apply that knowledge 

• reason mathematically at all stages throughout of KS3 

From there, we take this knowledge and build upon it in the later years of KS4. The three elements of fluency, reasoning and problem solving are still prominent. The KS4 curriculum has been designed such that the interrelated nature of mathematics is widespread. Concepts are studied using prior knowledge and in various context; for example, the use of fractions to link the use of solving equations. 

Students then later move on to Key Stage 5 to demonstrate their math knowledge and problem solving skills in Pure Mathematics as well as in the Application subjects; Statistics and Mechanics over two (2) years. 

Christian Distinctiveness 

Pythagoras, developed a world-view in which mathematics and religion were completely linked. Pythagoras saw the beauty in the theory of numbers and he saw this mathematical beauty translated into musical beauty. From there he developed a view of the world based on numbers and shapes. He believed that the Earth was a sphere, not for any experimental reason, but simply because he believed that the sphere was the most perfect shape, so the Earth had to be a sphere. He also believed that the Earth was not at the centre of the universe but that the Earth moved. This is also true for any other philosopher and their connection to mathematics. 

We can discuss morality when teaching percentage increase and decreases or compound interest and depreciation and how the interest given when trying to save is far lower than the interest when borrowing money. 

Exponential graphs give teachers the opportunity to discuss the spread of disease and the effect and links to care and kindness.

Lessons 

Our curriculum design upon a timetable 60 minute lessons across a two-week timetabled period. Different years vary in the amount of mathematics curriculum time they have and this is shown in the table below. 

Units of work roughly last a week, but it is up to teachers to adapt to give appropriate times to spend on each unit of work for the needs of their students. 

All Year 7 subjects Next Year 7 Subject - English

All Year 8 subjects Next Year 8 Subject - English

All Year 9 subjects Next Year 9 Subject - English

All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - English

All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - English

All Year 11 subjects Next Year 11 Subject - English

All Year 11 subjects Next Year 11 Subject - English