Maths
Intent
At Wigmore High School we believe that all pupils deserve an ambitious mathematics curriculum, rich in skills and knowledge, which inspires curiosity and prepares them for life in the 21st century.
During their time in the school, all pupils will develop mathematical fluency, problem solving and reasoning. Pupils are encouraged to develop a deep understanding of the subject content areas of number, algebra, ratio, proportion & rates of change, geometry & measures, probability and statistics. The work in Key Stage 3 (Years 7 – 9) allows pupils to develop a secure basis for the smooth transition into Key Stage 4 where the curriculum is designed to prepare pupils for the Pearson Edexcel 9-1 GCSE specification.
Implementation
As a department we view our curriculum as a 5-year continuum which covers all areas of the GCSE specification, as well as developing the mathematical skills that pupils will need in later life. The various aspects of the curriculum are delivered at an appropriate level to embed skills and promote progress.
Across all years we have built in opportunities for pupils to:
- Develop fluency - Through mathematics lessons and specifically designed activities, pupils are given the opportunity to develop fluency in performing key mathematical skills, so they become second nature.
- Reason Mathematically - Pupils are given opportunities to think logically and flexibly and to develop sound mathematical arguments.
- Solve problems - Pupils’ ability to solve problems is nurtured during lessons through exposure to a variety of strategies and modelling of good practice.
Homework is set weekly by each teacher using Sparx Maths. Sparx provides a highly personalised weekly homework to pupils, tailored to their attainment level and working speed. The majority of each week's homework will be based on recently learnt topics, but it will also include some questions from previous topics to help reinforce their learning. Pupils access their homework on their online Sparx account, where they’ll get immediate feedback for each question about whether their answer was correct, or they need to have another try. While homework is accessed online, it is predominantly a written homework, and pupils must record their work in their exercise books. Sparx has a “bookwork checks” system to help pupils form this habit. Every question in Sparx has a support video attached so that pupils can get help independently.