Maths

At Key Stage 3, unit plans are based on ensuring full coverage of the National Curriculum through the use of our scheme of work and the MYP framework, as well as Maths Mastery resources. The scheme of work aims to capture the interest of students and motivate and prepare them to have a solid grounding to begin their GCSE journey.

In years 7 – 9 the key concepts are taught within the MYP framework. The MYP mathematics framework promotes both inquiry and application, helping students to develop problem solving techniques that transcend the discipline and that are useful in the world and beyond school. The MYP mathematics framework encompasses number, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability. Students in the MYP learn how to represent information, to explore and model situations, and to find solutions to familiar and unfamiliar problems. MYP mathematics aims to equip all students with the knowledge, understanding and intellectual capabilities to address further courses in mathematics, as well as to prepare those students who will use mathematics in their studies, workplaces and everyday life.

Students will be assessed under four different criteria:

• Criterion A: Knowledge and Understanding
• Criterion B: Investigating patterns
• Criterion C: Communicating
• Criterion D: Applying mathematics in real life context

GCSE mathematics aims to equip all students with the knowledge, understanding and intellectual capabilities to address further courses in mathematics, as well as to prepare those students who will use mathematics in their studies, workplaces and everyday life. Our delivery of the subject reflects our ambitious intent for students. Lessons should show clear progression, making links to global contexts whenever possible and connecting new knowledge to existing knowledge. Lessons consist of retrieval of previous content taught, teacher explanations of concepts, opportunities to practise applying knowledge and challenging extended tasks. Practical work is used whenever appropriate to extend students’ knowledge and enhance their practical skills.

Year 11 students will be assessed regularly using short tests, previous exam papers and homework.  At the end of module 1 and 3 they will do the proper Pre-public exam in the exam conditions being assessed with all three exam papers (paper 1 – non-calculator, paper 2 and 3 calculator) with each paper worth ⅓ of their grade. The papers are split in two tiers, Higher (3 – 9 grades) and Foundation (1 – 5 grades).

Classwork will also prepare KS4 pupils for the three assessment strands that are covered in the formal exams:

• AO1: Use and apply standard techniques
  Involves the completion of exam-style assessments that are cumulative in nature. In addition to this, teachers will assess students’ knowledge through various mini tests/homework tasks/quizzes. Students need to accurately recall facts, terminology and definitions
• AO2: Reason, interpret and communicate mathematically
  It requires students to make deductions, inferences, and draw conclusions from mathematical information, interpret and communicate information accurately, present arguments and proofs, assess and evaluate given arguments.
• AO3: Solve problems and within mathematics and other contexts
  It requires students to translate problems in mathematical or non-mathematical contexts into a process or a series of mathematical processes; to make and use connections between different parts of mathematics; to interpret results in the context of the given problem; to evaluate methods used and results obtained; to evaluate solutions to identify how they may have been affected by assumptions made.

Students will be supported with a number of different types of assessment materials to ensure they reach their full potential in their Mathematics GCSE examination. The information below is the same for both Higher and Foundation tiers.

• Foundation Tier: Grades 1-5 Available
• Higher Tier: Grades 3-9 Available

What’s assessed:

Content from any part of the specification may be assessed

LSA is proud to have a strong Mathematics learning area dedicated to developing our young students into knowledgeable, respectful young people. We believe that mathematics curriculum equips students with a powerful set of tools to understand and change the world. Mathematics breaks down cultural and international barriers and is a global language, essential in everyday life and all aspects of employment. We want the Mathematics Learning Area to nurture a love of mathematics as a creative challenge while developing the skills of logical reasoning, sophisticated problem solving and the ability to think in abstract ways.

At LSA we offer two qualifications in Mathematics:

• Edexcel A level Mathematics
• Edexcel A level Further Mathematics

The course will teach students how to:

• Understand mathematics and mathematical processes in a way that promotes confidence, fosters enjoyment and provides a strong foundation for progress to further study
• Extend their range of mathematical skills and techniques
• Understand coherence and progression in mathematics and how different areas of mathematics are connected
• Apply mathematics in other fields of study and be aware of the relevance of mathematics to the world of work and to situations in society in general
• Use their mathematical knowledge to make logical and reasoned decisions in solving problems both within pure mathematics and in a variety of contexts, and communicate the mathematical rationale for these decisions clearly
• Reason logically and recognise incorrect reasoning
• Generalise mathematically
• Construct mathematical proofs
• Use their mathematical skills and techniques to solve challenging problems that require them to decide on the solution strategy
• Recognise when mathematics can be used to analyse and solve a problem in context
• Represent situations mathematically and understand the relationship between problems in context and mathematical models that may be applied to solve them
• Draw diagrams and sketch graphs to help explore mathematical situations and interpret solutions
• Make deductions and inferences and draw conclusions by using mathematical reasoning
• Interpret solutions and communicate their interpretation effectively in the context of the problem
• Read and comprehend mathematical arguments, including justifications of methods and formulae, and communicate their understanding
• Read and comprehend articles concerning applications of mathematics and communicate their understanding
• Use technology such as calculators and computers effectively and recognise when their use may be inappropriate
• Take increasing responsibility for their own learning and the evaluation of their own mathematical development.

This course in Further Mathematics builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding set out in the whole GCSE subject content for mathematics and the subject content for the Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced GCE Mathematics qualifications. Assessments will be designed to reward students for demonstrating the ability to provide responses that draw together different areas of their knowledge, skills and understanding from across the full course of study for the AS further mathematics qualification and also from across the AS Mathematics qualification. Problem solving, proof and mathematical modelling will be assessed in further mathematics in the context of the wider knowledge which students taking A level further mathematics will have studied.

The aims of this mathematics course is to enable students to:

• Understand mathematics and mathematical processes in ways that promote confidence, foster enjoyment and provide a strong foundation for progress to further study
• Extend their range of mathematical skills and techniques
• Understand coherence and progression in mathematics and how different areas of mathematics are connected
• Apply mathematics in other fields study and be aware of the relevance of mathematics to the world of work and to situations in society in general
• Use their mathematical knowledge to make logical and reasoned decisions solving problems both within pure mathematics and in a variety of contexts, and communicate the mathematical rationale for these decisions clearly
• Reason logically and recognise incorrect reasoning
• Generalise mathematically
• Construct mathematical proofs
• Use their mathematical skills and techniques solve challenging problems which require them to decide on the solution strategy
• Recognise when mathematics can be used analyse and solve problem in context
• Represent situations mathematically and understand the relationship between problems in context and mathematical models that may be applied to solve them
• Draw diagrams and sketch graphs to help explore mathematical situations and interpret solutions
• Make deductions and inferences and draw conclusions by using mathematical reasoning
• Interpret solutions and communicate their interpretation effectively in the context of the problem
• Read and comprehend mathematical arguments,including justification of methods and formulae, and communicate their understanding
• Read and comprehend articles concerning application of mathematics and communicate their understanding
• Use technology such as calculators and computers effectively,and recognise why such use may be inappropriate
• Take increasing responsibility for their own learning and the evaluation of their own mathematical development

The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Further Mathematics consists of four externally-examined papers.  Students must take Paper 1 and Paper 2, the two mandatory Core Pure papers, and two optional papers.  Students are permitted to take more than the two optional papers if they want to extend their course of study.  Students must complete all assessments in May/June in any single year.