MATHEMATICS

Statement of Intent:

The mathematics curriculum at Iqra Academy has been designed to enable all pupils to achieve their true potential in all aspects of their learning.
To provide a foundation for students to understand the world, reason mathematically, appreciate the beauty and power of mathematics, and develop a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.
To create an appropriate working environment for learning that nourishes the mathematical development of students.
To promote techniques in pedagogy that motivates and engages students, encouraging them to take ownership of their learning.
To develop the essential numeracy skills that will allow them to access math’s in the real world and to prepare them to face the challenges of the 21st century and help them develop a deeper appreciation of how mathematics is used in technology, engineering, science and in most types of employment.
To provide the techniques required to investigate, critically think and problem solve in Maths.
To develop and extend oral, written and practical skills, which allow students to express themselves with clarity and to reason logically.
To provide opportunities to present and demonstrate the importance and usefulness of Mathematics in the World and our society, therefore contributing to their cultural capital.

Implementation

Our Mathematics curriculum is designed as a spiral curriculum with each year developing another layer of mathematical understanding and knowledge which builds on previous work, with concepts being interwoven throughout each year and the whole Year 7-11 course.
There are several opportunities to revisit and revise core concepts throughout the course and lessons are planned to include activities where knowledge and skills are consolidated, scaffolded, and modelled, to foster further learning, challenge misconceptions and to encourage retention.
Students are assessed using a mixture of formative and summative methods throughout Key Stages 3 to 4. This is undertaken through a range of methods including questioning, peer and self-assessment, homework and termly assessments, as well as exams at the end of each academic year.
Students are mixed ability classes in Key Stage 3; this has allowed us to help develop the understanding of all learners regardless of ability. Each level has extension opportunities, thus giving all learners the chance to see all aspects covered maximising progress for all.
Topics are in small sections and ordered so that each strand of maths can be followed through from one to another, so that student can make the links between other topics not only in mathematics, but also within other areas of the curriculum and the wider world. The Key Stage 3 curriculum helps to prepare all learners for the challenges of GCSE, with exposure to a variety of topics that build in difficulty.

As we have up to 10 feeder schools, we begin Year 7 recapping non-calculator numeracy skills which allows us to see how students apply their knowledge and gives the opportunity to address any gaps in skills and knowledge without covering too much content.

Years 8 and 9 build on the Year 7 curriculum, and they follow a similar path, but each topic covered goes into more detail and the level of challenge increases. (Please see curriculum overview documents)

Year 9 builds on both the Year 7 and 8 topics developing them further ready to start the GCSE course after Spring term. Then in Year 10 students the spiral curriculum started in Key Stage 3 and thus build upon previous learning. Each topic covered starts simply supporting prior knowledge and goes on to deepen understanding of key concepts before extending these further. The course aims to give students the appropriate mathematical skills, develop fluent knowledge and understanding of mathematical methods and concepts to help them progress to a full range of courses in further and higher education and in the wider world. Students will also learn to select and apply mathematical techniques to solve problems, reason mathematically, make deductions and inference before.

Impact:

A structured assessment schedule with rationale for what is being tested and why the testing is taking place.
Time built in to allow for relearning. Assessment having impact on learning.
Assessment of teaching. What worked/didn’t work? What do we need to amend to have a greater impact.
Spiral assessment which counters the forgetting curve. Regularly re-visiting previous material
Validity – we need to be clear about the inferences being drawn from testing
The students are achieving good grades in Mathematics, 64% of students achieved grade 5 and above.