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Hungerhill School

Maths

Maths is a key subject for all students progressing through education. Much of day to day life out side of school relies upon students leaving us as confident and numerate young people. Maths also interconnects with almost every other subject taught in school. Without some mathematical capability, students will find success more difficult to achieve almost everywhere else.  

Our curriculum aims to develop young people who: 

  • Are curious about mathematics 

  • Strive for excellence 

  • are resilient in solving problems  

  • Are confident mathematically 

  • Feel successful at some level mathematically 

  • Have a deep understanding of mathematics and its applications in the real world 

  • Are respectful of others’ level of understanding 

  • Are honest 

  • Are prepared for further study in mathematics after GCSE where appropriate 

They key concepts taught in mathematics come under the headings of Number, Ratio and Proportion, Algebra, Geometry and Measures and Probability and Statistics. 

Our curriculum will develop the character of all students 

Our provision delivers a range of experiences, both in and out of the classroom, to enrich and extend student learning. Our curriculum will: 

  • Develop an inquisitive nature and curiosity about how mathematics works and where concepts come from 

  • Develop the mathematical knowledge that will enable them to transfer skills between topics in order to answer multistep/multi topic questions and between subjects in order to enhance their cross-curricular understanding 

  • Enable students to see “the big picture” and understand how their learning links to other areas of mathematics and to other subjects and the wider world 

Ensure all students are literate and numerate 

Every maths lesson promotes high standards of numeracy, from students, calculators are not used unless necessary for the content and students are strongly encouraged to try to work without a calculator in the first instance. Teachers of maths insist on the correct terminology in lessons and will steer students to correct sentences where appropriate. New terminology is clarified during starters and at the beginning of new topics or through the use of exam questions. 

Build knowledge and aspirations of all students 

The maths curriculum is predominately a knowledge-based curriculum. Students need to have a good grasp of mathematical vocabulary and a mastery of mathematical concepts. The following techniques are used to develop successful mathematicians. 

  • A curriculum structured for mastery. 

  • Use of concrete manipulatives which lead to the abstract thinking. 

  • Recycling opportunities through the use of starters and progressive assessments enables students to revisit and retain prior knowledge so that it is ready to apply in other topic areas. 

  • Modelling solutions using a variety of methods where appropriate. 

  • Being able to identify misconceptions and errors. 

  • Frequent use of mini whiteboards to identify student misconceptions. 

The maths curriculum at Hungerhill has been designed based on evidence informed practice and has used the 8 key recommendations from the EEF guidance for improving mathematics. 

  • Use assessment to build on pupils’ existing knowledge and understanding. 

  • Use manipulatives and representations. 

  • Teach strategies for solving problems. 

  • Enable pupils to develop a rich network of mathematical knowledge, connecting topics together. 

  • Develop pupils’ independence and motivation. 

  • Use tasks and resources to challenge and support pupils’ mathematics. 

  • Use structured interventions to provide additional support. 

  • Support pupils to make a successful transition between primary and secondary school. 

Ensure all students have the secure foundations to progress into further education and employment 

Students are given opportunities in lesson to talk about potential career paths, displays in the department reflect this. In the HSBC banking and finance module, students are given the opportunity to discuss different careers and their related salaries. Our most successful students follow GCSE Statistics course in year 10 and 11, this is 1 period per week. We have previously had good links with Hall Cross sixth form and now UTC, this has enabled us to offer taster sessions for A level maths. 

Develop cultural capital of all students 

In the maths curriculum we offer opportunities for students to extend their skills beyond the syllabus. For example, we have developed a module of lessons along side HSBC bank that give students an insight into real life finances. Students in years 7,8,9 and 10 are also given the opportunity to take part in the UK Maths Challenges and team challenges. We also offer an annual trip to Doncaster Racecourse to enhance student’s real life understanding of mathematical concepts. SMSC/fundamental British values/equality and diversity and the school’s core values are also embedded in the maths curriculum.

 

Mrs R Susca
Curriculum Leader

 

 

 

 

 

Mathematics KS3

Main skills developed in Key Stage 3:

In Key Stage 3, students will be taught the basics and will build on prior knowledge of mathematics with a focus on mastery. As well as learning topics in the areas of algebra, number, ratio and proportioning reasoning, geometry, and statistics, students will also be required to demonstrate good levels of reasoning within their answers. We are focusing on students’ ability to solve problems independently in addition.

 

​How parents can help to support their son's/daughter's learning in Key Stage 3:  

​To ensure that they make the best possible progress, students need to have the correct equipment every lesson. This should include a 30cm ruler, pair of compasses, and a protractor. A highlighter pen is also desirable.

It is also extremely important that students have their own scientific calculator, which they bring to every lesson. This will enable them to be familiar with the way all of the functions work and will then be able to use it efficiently.

All parents/carers can help to support their children's learning in mathematics in the following ways:

  • Ask your child to explain what they have learnt in lessons
  • Ensure that they spend time completing their home learning
  • Encourage the completion of Sparx home learning each week. Students can work independently on Sparx and complete additional revision on the website leading up to high stakes assessments. Engagement data with Sparx shows that students who regularly complete the tasks make better progress. You can never do too much practise.
  • Remind your child to review their targets and complete and review their Pinpoint booklets following high stakes assessments. The Pinpoint website will show you where your child has had success and which topics need further work.

 

Mathematics KS4

Exam Board:

Edexcel

Qualification:

GCSE

Assessment:

Examination 100% 3 papers (1 calculator, 2 non-calculator) 80 marks each and 90 minutes per paper.

Outline of course content:

You will develop your mathematical skills and understanding in the areas of:

  • number - including fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, and proportion, as well as general number skills

  • algebra - including expressions, equations, sequences, and graphs

  • geometry - including angle and shape properties, geometrical reasoning, measures, and constructions

  • statistics - including the data handling cycle, data collection, data presentation and analysis, data interpretation, and probability.

Outline of course structure:

As well as learning particular mathematical skills you will also be required to use and develop a wide range of problem solving skills.

It is important that you are able to use the mathematics you learn at school in the real-world - for example, the workplace, and everyday life. This is called functional mathematics. Over the course of KS4, we will continually look at the purpose and relevance of the topics which are being learned.

How will this course help me in the future:

As well as being an important subject in its own right, mathematics can also be used as a tool to help solve problems in virtually all walks of life. Many careers and further education establishments require you to have a GCSE in mathematics.

This course will develop a firm foundation for further study of mathematics. It allows for natural progression to AS and then A2 Level.

Careers using Mathematics

Good with numbers? This subject is the basis of a wide variety of careers.

Skills and how the subject relates to work:

  • You need to be able to think logically and work in an ordered way.
  • the ability to plan and solve problems
  • You will enjoy receiving information and then using this to make decisions.

Potential jobs

Statisticians – every day ‘stats’ are produced, e.g. weather patterns, inflation figures, how far a footballer runs in a match, how many people watched ‘Eastenders’ on Christmas day, etc. Statisticians compile the figures and often interpret them. What are the trends and the implications?
 
Economists – understanding the economy; why do we have prices increases; why are people unemployed; how should the government spend our taxes? These are all questions for economists and the answers usually involve a lot of maths work.
 
Financial work – what about working for an international bank or financial institution selling currencies, shares, or derivatives? Maybe working on the financial markets, buying and selling millions of pounds worth of commodities?  Maths people tend to be very good at this area of work.
 
Actuary – The pensions industry pays huge wages to mathematicians to calculate how much to pay out in pensions, and how much working people need to pay. It’s all to do with how long people might live. Mathematicians are in demand for this work.
 
Casinos and gambling firms – these pay huge wages to mathematicians to calculate ‘odds’ and make sure their business wins!
 
Accountancy – excellent mathematicians can earn a very good wage working as accountants and especially tax advisers.
 
Design and Civil Engineers - ever fancy designing a roller coaster? How about planning the construction of a sky scraper building? What about the design of the new AirBus A380 plane, which can carry 525 passengers? Thought about working out how to build a bridge across a very wide river? The people doing these things will be very good at maths!
 
Building and plumbing – want to install a central heating system? How about building a house extension? Numbers, diagrams, quotes, and costs all require strong maths skills.
 
IT development – The algorithms to run our computers, smart phones, and websites have all been developed by mathematicians. Twenty years ago, no-one had ever heard of ‘Google’. What will be next? It’ll probably be a mathematician who develops it!
 
Research science – Across the world, lots of work is happening with space developments and astronomy. It’s all about maths.
 

Year 11 Revision Support