Maths

Our MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

Mathematics is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and an increasing number of careers. 

Receiving a good maths education provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and the power of mathematics and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.   

Through use of statistical investigations, pupils will understand the cycle of collecting, presenting and analysing data. This is a skill necessary for many jobs from Accountancy to Data Analysis and from Engineers to Computer Science. This skill also enables pupils to question information they are provided with. Pupils can use their understanding of probability to the notions of risk and uncertainty.    

Your child’s study of maths at Coopers School will follow a carefully designed curriculum that enables pupils of all ability to make excellent progress. Foundations are strengthened, ensuring pupils are equipped with required skills for both GCSE and everyday life, pupils are also given opportunities to explore maths and make connections between topics. In lessons, you will be encouraged to think hard and solve problems efficiently – a skill required that universities and employers will appreciate. You will have time to explore all areas of GCSE maths – number, algebra, shape and space, ratio and proportion and probability and statistics.

At Coopers School these areas underpin our Big Ideas – Fundamental number skills for life, Equations always balance, Shapes must have properties, Scale factors keep things in proportion and Statistics help us to analyse. Our Big Ideas are written to help demonstrate the relevance of maths to our pupils’ lives. 

big ideas final e21c maths ks3.pdf

 

big ideas final e21c maths ks4.pdf

Please see below how our big ideas integrate with the Maths five-year scheme of learning.

e21c maths curriculum 5 year plan with big ideas.pdf

 Coopers Values: Trust, RESPECT AND RESILIENCE

In Mathematics we develop trust by: 

• Creating strong working relationships where pupils can trust in their own abilities and are confident to apply their skills independently

• Trusting pupils to enter classrooms, taking their book to their seat and take responsibility for setting out their work according to our presentation policy and ensure they have a strong start to the lesson 
• Trusting pupils to self-assess to ensure they have immediate feedback  

 In Mathematics we develop respect by: 

• Encouraging all pupils to participate.  
• Ensuring all pupils respect each other and their answers. 
• Encouraging the understanding that pupils can learn from their mistakes. 

 In Mathematics we develop resilience by: 

• Providing scaffolded work to enable all pupils to work at a suitable level with the right amount of challenge to help build resilience. 
• Building a culture of error where pupils are confident is making mistakes and learning

WHOLE SCHOOL INTENT: INCLUSIVE

In Mathematics we ensure our curriculum is inclusive by: 

• Scaffolding by personalising the learning based on individual pupil need 

• Using diverse mathematical role models and taking part in whole school events such as International Women’s Day 

 WHOLE SCHOOL INTENT: FOCUSED

In Mathematics we identify powerful knowledge that were having a good understanding of it is a prerequisite for understanding other related content. 

By clearly identifying the powerful knowledge in each unit, teachers can ensure that their teaching and assessment is focused on the content that makes the biggest difference. 

We share this with pupils and their families using Knowledge Organisers. These are valuable tools for revision and retrieval practice

WHOLE SCHOOL INTENT: SEQUENCED

In Mathematics we sequence our curriculum using spaced practice. This means large areas of knowledge are broken into smaller chunks, with intervals of time between them, to improve pupil learning and recall. 

 WHOLE SCHOOL INTENT: COHERENT

In Mathematics we ensure our curriculum is coherent by the use of 5 Big Ideas that underpin all the learning in our subject. Each lesson is linked to a Big Idea, shared with the pupils at the start of the lesson, so they can call on prior learning and understand where each lesson fits within our curriculum. 

 Our Big Ideas are: 

• Fundamental number skills for life – This encompasses all the basic number skills that a pupil will need for everyday life which also underpin other mathematical concepts. 
• Equations must balance – This covers algebraic concepts which help pupils to identify missing values and solve problems in a variety of contexts. 
• Shapes must have properties – This big idea enables pupils to explore shapes, their properties and identify relevant formulae. 
• Scale factors keep things in proportion – Pupils will be able to explore how scale factors work and where proportion works in everyday life. 
• Statistics help us to anlayse – This explores what data is, how data can be represented and how conclusions can be drawn from data. 

 KS4 QUALIFICATIONS

Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (1MA1) 

Paper 1: Non-Calculator Paper	Paper 2: Calculator Paper	Paper 3: Non-Calculator Paper
1 hour and 30 minutes	1 hour and 30 minutes	1 hour and 30 minutes
You answer all questions	You answer all questions	You answer all questions
80 marks available	80 marks available	80 marks available

  240 marks available in total for all 3 papers.