Maths

Our Curriculum Aims:

We aim for our students to:

Become fluent in the fundamentals of Mathematics so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof.
Solve problems by applying their knowledge to a variety of routine and non-routine problems.
Enjoy the study of Mathematics and experience its wide-ranging cross-curricula links and application in the real-world.
Develop their confidence, independence and resilience through being challenged.
Have a strong knowledge and skills base to progress to the next key stage, support their studies of other subjects and to enter a wide range of technical and scientific professions.

Key Stage Three Curriculum Overview

Content

Number
Algebra
Ratio, proportion and rates of change
Geometry and measures
Probability and statistics

Year 7

	Name of topic	Key Content of the Topic	Assessment points
HT1	Number skills recap, introduction to algebra	Written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, decimals, rounding and estimating, negative numbers, BODMAS, simplifying algebraic expressions.
HT2	Basic algebraic skills, simple 2D geometry, averages	Indices, expanding brackets, solving equations, properties of quadrilaterals and triangles, area of 2D shapes and angle properties.	Termly assessment
HT3	Number calculations, types of number, fractions	Square, cube and triangle numbers, factors, multiples and primes. Calculating with fractions; cancelling, equivalence, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions of amounts and types of averages.
HT4	Further algebra, percentages, angles in polygons	Solving more complicated equations, factorising, calculating percentages of amounts, percentage increase and decrease and angles in polygons.	Termly assessment
HT5	Ratio, further algebra 2, probability	Ratio and proportion, substitution, changing the subject, calculating probabilities, sample space diagrams and expectation.	Termly assessment
HT6	Coordinates, bearings, scale drawings, 3D shapes	4 quadrant coordinates, midpoint, bearings, maps scales, scale drawing, nets of 3D shapes, 2D projections, volume and surface area of cuboids.

YEAR 8

	Name of Topic	Key Content of the Topic	Assessment points
HT1	Sequences, functions, further ratio, further percentages	Generate sequences, nth term, using function notation, plotting graphs, divide a quantity into a given ratio, direct and inverse proportion, calculating percentage of an amount, increases and decreases using a calculator
HT2	Transforming shapes, similar shapes, units of measure, changing the subject, equation of straight lines	Rotational and line symmetry in 2D shapes, reflection, rotation, translation, enlargement of 2D shapes, converting between units of measure, similar triangles, ratio in area and volume, further changing the subject, using the equation of straight-line graphs, parallel and perpendicular lines.	Termly assessment
HT3	Statistical diagrams, complex equations, further probability	Pie charts, scatter graphs and correlation, solving equations containing fractions, trial and improvement, simultaneous equations, experimental probability, relative frequency and tree diagrams.
HT4	Further Statistics, Pythagoras’ theorem, constructions, further indices, standard form	Frequency polygons, averages from frequency tables, Pythagoras’ theorem, constructions, loci, laws of indices, negative and fractional indices, calculating with standard form.	Termly assessment
HT5	Inequalities, the circle	Solving inequalities, plotting inequalities, area and circumference of a circle, arc length, sector area.	Termly assessment
HT6	Limits of accuracy, decimals	Upper and lower bounds, converting fractions and decimals, recurring decimals

yEAR 9

	Name of topic	Key Content of the Topic	Termly assessment
HT1	Algebra revision, circle theorems, simultaneous equations, sequences	Revision of basic algebraic manipulation skills (factorising, expanding brackets, changing the subject), changing the subject by factorising, circle theorems, solving simultaneous equations algebraically and graphically, nth term of linear and quadratic sequences.	Termly assessment
HT2	Quadratic equations, complex percentages, Pythagoras revision, trigonometry	Expanding double brackets, factorising simple quadratic expressions, percentage increase and decrease, compound interest, reverse percentages, Pythagoras’ theorem revision, right angled trigonometry.
HT3	Further quadratic equations, similarity and congruency, 3D shape, quadratic graphs	Solving quadratic equations by factorising, quadratic formula and completing the square. Similar triangles, congruent triangles, surface area and volume of prisms, cylinders, cones, and pyramids. Drawing quadratic graphs and solving quadratic equations graphically.	Termly assessment
HT4	Algebraic fractions, functions	Solving equations containing fractions, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing algebraic fractions, using function notation, compound and inverse functions.
HT5	GCSE content: revision of basic number, algebra and shape knowledge	Written numerical calculations, BODMAS, factors and multiples, angle properties, scale drawing and bearings, algebraic manipulation (expanding brackets, factorising), calculations with fractions and decimals.	Termly assessment
HT6	GCSE content: revision of basic number and statistics knowledge	Laws of indices, fractional and negative indices, surds, collecting data, frequency tables, representing data (e.g. pie charts, bar charts), frequency polygons, scatter graphs.

Assessment

Staff continually assess the progress of pupils through a variety of techniques including low stakes retrieval tests to enable both pupils and staff to identify current strengths and areas for improvement. Following each termly assessment pupils are required to reflect on their performance and identify the key topics which require further practice. They are then set individual tasks to complete independently to close these knowledge gaps.

What can parents do to support their sons in KS3?

Collins KS3 Revision - KS3 Maths Higher Level All-in-One Complete Revision and Practice: Ideal for Years 7, 8 and 9. HarperCollins Publishers · Paperback ·ISBN 978-0-00-855145-2

Several websites have practice questions and solutions.

We recommend: mymaths.co.uk (pupils can ask their teacher for a login), corbettmaths.com and drfrostmaths.com.

There are links to videos and worksheets on the Key Stage 3 schemes of work to revise each topic:

Year 7
Year 8
Year 9

Setting

The whole year group is divided into four or five pairs of parallel sets. Setting will take account of ability and the speed at which each pupil can work. There are large numbers of boys in the higher sets (about 30), reducing to about 12 in the lower sets.