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Mathematics Curriculum

Building confident mathematicians for life 

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Why study mathematics?

What mathematics develops

  • Builds problem-solving skills you can use in real life
  • Helps you make sense of money, data and decisions
  • Opens doors to loads of careers, not just 'maths jobs' 
  • Trains your brain to think logically and spot patterns 

Student voice

“Maths helps me to understand the world. I love that moment where everything suddenly clicks into place and makes sense.”  Muhammed, Year 8

Key Stage 3 Mathematics– Cycle Overview

Cycle 1

Year 7 

Knowledge focus

  • The decimal number system  
  • Properties of arithmetic  
  • Factors, multiples, primes, squares and roots  
  • Order of operations 

 

Key skills

  • Adding and Subtracting Decimals 
  • Multiplying and Diving by 10s 
  • Place Value Grids 
  • Factor Pairs, Common Factors, Division Methods, Common Multiples 
  • HCF, LCM,  
  • Equal and Unequal Priority, Using a calculator 

Assessment

  • Prior Understanding Quiz, Diagnostic Assessment, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Equal and unequal priority 
  • Brackets 
  • Square and Square root 
  • Evaluate 
  • Expressions 
  • Multiple 
  • Factor 
  • Square  
  • Prime 
  • Prime factor decomposition 
  • Venn diagram 
  • LCM  
  • HCF 
  • Decoding 
  • Base 10 
  • Exchange 
  • Integer 
  • Digit 
  • Multiply 
  • Divide 

Year 8 

Knowledge focus

  • Proportional
  • Reasoning 
  • Representations 

Key skills

  • Ratio and Scale 
  • Multiplicative Change 
  • Multiplying and Dividing Fractions 
  • Working in the Cartesian Plane 
  • Representing Data 
  • Tables and Probability 

Assessment

  • 6 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Ratio
  • Proportion
  • Factors
  • Scale
  • Units
  • Numerator
  • Denominator
  • Perimeter
  • Circumference
  • Pi
  • Diameter
  • Gradient
  • Currency
  • Conversion
  • Linear
  • Enlargement
  • Scale Factor 

Year 9 

Knowledge focus

  • Reasoning with Algebra 
  • Constructing in 2 and 3 Dimensions 

Key skills

  • Straight Line Graphs 
  • Forming and Solving Equations 
  • Test Conjectures 
  • 3D Shapes 
  • Constructions and Congruency 

Assessment

  • 5 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Gradient 
  • Intercept 
  • Equation 
  • Solve 
  • Conjecture 
  • Counterexample 
  • Face / Edge / Vertex 
  • Net 
  • Congruent 
  • Bisect 
  • Perpendicular 
  • Parallel 

Cycle 2

Year 7 

Knowledge focus

  • Negative numbers  
  • Expressions  
  • Equations  
  • Coordinates  

Key skills

  • Negative numbers  
  • Expressions  
  • Equations  
  • Coordinates  

Assessment

  • Prior Understanding Quiz, Diagnostic Assessment, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Equal and unequal priority 
  • Brackets 
  • Square and Square root 
  • Evaluate 
  • Expressions 
  • Multiple 
  • Factor 
  • Square  
  • Prime 
  • Prime factor decomposition 
  • Venn diagram 
  • LCM  
  • HCF 
  • Decoding 
  • Base 10 
  • Exchange 
  • Integer 
  • Digit 
  • Multiply 
  • Divide  

Year 8 

Knowledge focus

  • Algebraic Techniques 
  • Developing Number 

 

Key skills

  • Brackets Equations and inequalities 
  • Sequences 
  • Indices 
  • Fractions & Percentages 
  • Standard Index Form 
  • Number Sense 

Assessment

  • 6 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Expression
  • Simplify
  • Term
  • Substitute
  • Coefficient
  • Expand
  • Product
  • Factor
  • Like Terms
  • Equation
  • Solve
  • Inequality
  • Linear
  • Fibonacci
  • Indices

Year 9 

Knowledge focus

  • Reasoning with Number 
  • Reasoning with Geometry 

Key skills

  • Numbers 
  • Using Percentages 
  • Maths and Money 
  • Deduction 
  • Rotation and Translation 
  • Pythagoras’ Theorem 

Assessment

  • 6 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Integer 
  • Decimal 
  • Fraction 
  • Percentage 
  • Multiplier 
  • Profit / Loss 
  • Budget 
  • Estimate 
  • Angle 
  • Rotation 
  • Translation 
  • Vector 
  • Hypotenuse 
  • Right angle 
  • Square number / Square root 

 

Cycle 3

Year 7 

Knowledge focus

  • Properties of 2D shapes  
  • Conceptualising and comparing fractions  
  • Manipulating and calculating with fractions  
  • Ratio and Proportion  
  • Representing data 

Key skills

  • Properties of 2D shapes  
  • Conceptualising and comparing fractions  
  • Manipulating and calculating with fractions  
  • Ratio and Proportion  
  • Representing data 

Assessment

  • Prior Understanding Quiz, Diagnostic Assessment, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Equal and unequal priority 
  • Brackets 
  • Square and Square root 
  • Evaluate 
  • Expressions 
  • Multiple 
  • Factor 
  • Square  
  • Prime 
  • Prime factor decomposition 
  • Venn diagram 
  • LCM  
  • HCF 
  • Decoding 
  • Base 10 
  • Exchange 
  • Integer 
  • Digit 
  • Multiply 
  • Divide  

Year 8 

Knowledge focus

  • Developing Geometry 
  • Reasoning with Data 

Key skills

  • Angles in Parallel Lines and Polygons 
  • Area of Trapezia and Circles 
  • Line of Symmetry and Reflection 
  • The Data Handling Cycle 
  • Measures of Location 

Assessment

  • 5 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Parallel
  • Corresponding
  • Alternate
  • Vertically Opposite
  • Transversal
  • Co-interior
  • Rhombus
  • Parallelogram
  • Trapezium
  • Kite
  • Quadrilateral
  • Interior
  • Exterior
  • Pentagon/Hexagon etc (up to 12 sided shapes)
  • Bisect
  • Acute
  • Obtuse
  • Reflex 

Year 9 

Knowledge focus

  • Reasoning with Proportion 
  • Representations 

Key skills

  • Enlargement and Similarity 
  • Solving Ratio and Proportion Problems 
  • Rates 
  • Probability 
  • Algebraic Representations 

Assessment

  • 5 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Scale factor 
  • Similar shapes 
  • Ratio 
  • Proportion 
  • Unit rate 
  • Speed / Density / Pressure 
  • Outcome 
  • Sample space 
  • Probability 
  • Expression 
  • Term 
  • Coefficient 
  • Variable 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Stage 4 Mathematics

Cycle 1 

Year 10 

Knowledge focus

  • Similarity 
  • Developing Algebra 

Key skills

  • Congruence, Similarity and Enlargement 
  • Trigonometry 
  • Equations and Inequalities 
  • Representing Solutions 
  • Simultaneous Equations 

Assessment

  • 5 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Congruent 
  • Similar 
  • Scale factor 
  • Sine / Cosine / Tangent 
  • Opposite / Adjacent / Hypotenuse 
  • Equation 
  • Inequality 
  • Solution set 
  • Simultaneous 
  • Substitution 
  • Elimination 

Year 11 

Knowledge focus

  • Graphs 
  • Algebra 

Key skills

  • Gradients & Lines 
  • Non-Linear Graphs 
  • Using Graphs 
  • Expanding and Factorising 
  • Changing the Subject 
  • Functions 

Assessment

  • 5 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • November Prelims 
  • Regular Past Papers 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Proportion 
  • Multiplier 
  • Scale 
  • Angle 
  • Parallel / Perpendicular 
  • Expression / Equation 
  • Transformation 
  • Reflection / Rotation / Translation / Enlargement 
  • Construction 
  • Sample space 
  • Systematic listing 

 

Cycle 2 

Year 10 

Knowledge focus

  • Geometry 
  • Proportions and Proportional Change 

Key skills

  • Angles and Bearings 
  • Working with Circles 
  • Vectors 
  • Ratios & Fractions 
  • Percentages and Interest 
  • Probability 

Assessment

  • 6 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Clockwise 
  • Circumference 
  • Radius / Diameter 
  • Sector / Arc 
  • Vector 
  • Magnitude 
  • Ratio 
  • Fraction 
  • Percentage 
  • Simple / Compound interest 
  • Probability 
  • Expected value 

Year 11 

Knowledge focus

  • Reasoning 
  • Communication 

Key skills

  • Multiplicative Reasoning 
  • Geometric Reasoning 
  • Algebraic Reasoning 
  • Transforming & Constructing 
  • Listing and Describing 

 

Assessment

  • 4 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • February Prelims 
  • Regular Past Papers 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Gradient 
  • Intercept 
  • Quadratic / Cubic 
  • Curve 
  • Plot / Read off 
  • Expand 
  • Factorise 
  • Rearrange 
  • Subject of a formula 
  • Function 
  • Input / Output 
  • f(x) 

 

 

Cycle 3

Year 10 

Knowledge focus

  • Delving into Data 
  • Using Number 

Key skills

  • Collecting, Representing and Interpreting Data 
  • Non-Calculator Methods 
  • Types of Number and Sequences 
  • Indices and Roots 

Assessment

  • 4 end-of-unit in class assessments, Sparx Maths, Retrieval Starters. 
  • End of Cycle Assessment 
  • All topics once covered can then appear on any future end of cycle assessments. 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Discrete / Continuous 
  • Frequency 
  • Mean / Median / Mode / Range 
  • Estimate 
  • Prime / Factor / Multiple 
  • Sequence / Term-to-term / Position-to-term 
  • Index / Power 
  • Square / Cube 
  • Root 
  • Standard form 

Year 11

Preparation for External Examinations 

 

 

Key Stage 5 Mathematics

Cycle 1 

Year 12 

Knowledge focus

  • Quadratic algebra
  • Coordinate geometry
  • Statistical measures,
  • Probability theory 

Key Skills

  • Using quadratic expressions to model real life examples.
  • Calculating summary statistics of grouped data.
  • Applying the binomial probability model to real life situations. 

Assessment 

  • 6 assessments (3 for each teacher) 

 

Key Vocabulary

  • Model
  • Quadratic
  • Gradient
  • Intercept
  • Binomial
  • Distribution
  • Quartiles
  • Outliers 

Year 13

Knowledge focus

  • Function theory
  • Algebraic manipulation
  • Sequences and series
  • Binomial expansions 

Key skills

  • Be able to work with functions
  • Finding their domain, range and forming composite functions
  • Writing rational functions in partial fractions
  • Apply arithmetic and geometric models to real life problems

Assessment

  • 2 prelim examinations in November. 

Key Vocabulary 

  • Partial fraction
  • Domain
  • Range
  • Composite
  • Binomial expansions

Cycle 2 

Year 12

Knowledge focus

  • Calculus
  • Kinematics 

Key skills

  • Explore the concept of a derivative and use to find the gradient of curves, equations of tangents and normals and locate stationary points.
  • Start to analyse the motion of particles in one and two dimensions under uniform acceleration. 

Assessment

  • 4 assessments (2 per teacher) 

Key Vocabulary

  • Derivative
  • Integral,
  • Stationary point
  • Gradient
  • Area
  • Velocity
  • Displacement
  • Acceleration
  • Uniform

 

Year 13

Knowledge focus

  • Calculus

Key skills

  • Advance knowledge of differentiation and integration to find more complex derivatives of curves defined parametrically and implicitly.
  • Use integration techniques to find complex areas under a variety of curves. 

Assessment

  • Prelim in February (3 papers) 

Key Vocabulary

  • Parametric
  • Implicit
  • Integration by parts

Cycle 3

Year 12

Knowledge focus

  • Logarithms and exponentials 

Key skills

  • To introduce the concept of a logarithm and the exponential function.
  • Model real life situations with these and use to find coefficients in models. 

Assessment

  • End of year assessment (2 papers) 

Key Vocabulary

  • Logarithm
  • Exponential
  • Base
  • Linear

 

Year 13 

Knowledge focus

  • Vectors
  • Proof 

Key skills

  • Study vectors in 3 dimensions
  • Study the different forms of proof. 

Assessment

  • External Examinations

Key Vocabulary

  • Proof
  • Contradiction
  • Exhaustion
  • Magnitude
  • Parallel 

 

 

For Key Stage 5 Curriculum information please click link here to our Sixth Form Curriculum