ST BEDE'S

We aim to develop our students to be well rounded and enthusiastic mathematicians by developing skills of resilience and independence. We will share our love of maths to inspire our students to take a logical and systematic approach to problem solving, building on prior knowledge and making mathematical connections. By using examples from everyday life and links to other subjects to explain and reinforce mathematical concepts, we make Mathematics real and accessible, inclusive of ability.

As a knowledge-based curriculum we believe that knowledge underpins and enables the application of Mathematical skills. At both KS3 and KS4, starters revolve around the use of retrieval practice and interleaving to help students recall knowledge. Use of end of unit diagnostic testing and developmental feedback is a regular feature of our Maths lessons. All students have individual access to Mathswatch and are set structured revision tasks related to the curriculum in preparation for assessments. Weekly homework tasks will give students further opportunities to recall key facts and practice skills.

We build on the GRITTY skill of Your World by enriching the curriculum in appropriate areas with knowledge and tasks themed around famous mathematicians, both past and present, their work being exemplified on our corridors. Students can learn about the history and impact they had upon the world we live in and the work we will go on to study. We hope to inspire some to take their mathematical studies forward to college or university.

All students in key stage 3 follow the national curriculum for mathematics which serves as the building blocks to GCSE. Our curriculum has been carefully sequenced so that topics can be built upon each year, supporting our mastery approach and allowing for interleaving and progression with plenty of opportunities to revisit topics within modules.

When students enter St Bede’s they are placed in mathematics based on their KS2 prior attainment. This gives us a baseline from which to build upon and students can make progress and move between sets as appropriate. Throughout key stage 3 students undertake both formative and summative assessments which help them focus on what knowledge they have acquired but also what skills they still need to develop. Regular feedback is given to all students to help them further their progress and expand their knowledge base.

At St Bede’s all students follow a scheme of work that complements the AQA GCSE Mathematics examinations and at the end of their Year 11 are awarded a grade from 9 – 1. All students will sit three exams each lasting for 90 minutes, two of which will be calculator and the first paper will be non-calculator. Each exam will be worth one third of the total marks required.

GCSE Mathematics is a tiered course which means that some students will be entered for the Foundation exam, covering grades 5 – 1 and others for the Higher exam, covering grade 9 – 4. Final decisions about tier of entry are not made until December of Y11 and so the course that all students follow is sequenced to allow access to all the key stage 4 curriculum. Teachers will decide when it is appropriate for students to be moved on to the next topic after ensuring that prior knowledge is secure.

Students will undertake regular assessments throughout year 10 & 11 so they can understand what knowledge and skills they have and which they have yet to acquire. Learning will need to be supported independently at home and specific focused tasks will be set to complete to help further students’ progress.

We regularly enter students for both national and local maths competitions which allows pupils to expand their problem solving and logic skills and compete against other individual or schools.

Coming Soon