Maths

Mathematics Overview

The aim of the Mathematics Curriculum, is to ensure that all students that leave Trentham Academy develop a love of maths, and are ‘numerate’ for their adult world.

All students study a 5-year staged curriculum. The curriculum is delivered in a spiral format, with Year 7 developing and extending KS2 topics, and Y8 extending Y7 topics, etc. This allows for spaced practice and retrieval of key skills and knowledge. The scheme of work is planned so that topics feed into each other – supporting each other, and ensuring prior learning is recalled. The design of the mathematics curriculum also allows for mastery, before moving on to the next learning unit.

Sets 1 and 2 in each year group follow a scheme of work that is a higher stage of the curriculum, to ensure they are stretched and challenged. This appropriate stage of study is reviewed and adjusted for personalised learning in each year group. All students are entered for the Edexcel GCSE Mathematics at the end of Year 11.

Students smashed the second week of the maths challenge, gaining all 4 solutions between themselves!
Students smashed the second week of the maths challenge, gaining all 4 solutions between themselves!

Students in Set 1 will study for and are given the opportunity to sit the exam for AQA Level 2 Further Mathematics (https://clt.trentham.coop/further-mathematics/). Selected students will also be entered for Edexcel Level 3 awards, with awards available in 4 areas: Number and Measure; Algebra; Maths in Context; and Algebra;

Selected students will follow a program of study including AQA Entry Level Certificate in Mathematics, to ensure they are ‘numerate’, and leave the academy with a mathematics qualification. These also then boost the ‘basic’ skills required at GCSE grade 1.

Problem solving is a key priority in our teaching and learning, to ensure that students can apply their mathematics and numeracy skills in real-life and abstract contexts. Problem solving and reasoning skills are taught throughout the curriculum, with regular discussion linking maths topics to careers.

Years 7-10 all have a 4 hours of lesson time dedicated to Finance – with the aim of improving students understanding of money, credit/debit, pay-slips, tax etc – the real-world skills that they will need, not necessarily covered in GCSE Mathematics. These are linked in with our Aspire for Life (A4L) curriculum days, and the core British Values.

Finance and real-world contexts, are linked to future career areas and are key aspects of our teaching and learning ethos in the mathematics department. Links with STEM careers is a priority, especially encouraging High-attaining girls into male-dominated STEM-based careers.

A variety of styles of teaching and learning will be used to make the topics enjoyable to the students. Students will have the opportunity to engage with the Stoke-on-Trent Mathematics Excellence Partnership (Stoke MEP) and in addition to GCSE Mathematics students can opt to take qualifications in Further Maths (https://clt.trentham.coop/further-mathematics/) and Statistics (https://clt.trentham.coop/statistics-2/). Selected students at Trentham will complete in the UK Maths Trust (UKMT) Challenges – Junior and Senior levels, Mathematical Education on Merseyside (MEM) Challenge, and Stoke MEP Challenges, all of which we regularly have successes in – achieving Bronze / Silver / Gold certificates, best in year, and winning prizes across the city.

Using in-depth question level analysis (QLA) and graded / staged topics, we are able to close gaps in learning, adjust lesson planning and provide feedback to ensure students improve or extend their knowledge/skills on a regular basis. QLA following the termly assessments allow us to plan bespoke interventions for key groups of students, and track their progress over time, ensuring all achieve their potential, and leave Trentham as numerate and qualified for further education / careers as possible.

Where can Mathematics take me?