Maths

Maths is a core discipline that helps us to progress and understand the world around us, be it through numbers, shape or equations. A significant number of our pupils arrive at Mary Astell Academy, having experienced interruptions in their mathematics learning and this can impact the value they place upon the subject. Through personalised teaching and successful experiences, we seek to overcome any attitudes which present barriers to learning, believing that all our pupils deserve a curriculum that promotes relevance and understanding; enabling opportunity.

We provide a supportive, secure and motivating learning environment where the complex needs of our pupils’ are identified and addressed. We promote a culture of learning with resilience at its core, where misconceptions are embraced, valued and recognised as an important part of the learning process, believing this contributes greatly to the development of our pupils’ self-esteem and personal growth.

In Key Stage 3, we follow a three year curriculum which focuses on addressing gaps in knowledge to ensure the foundations are secure upon which to build new understanding. This ensures that return to mainstream provision can be successful as pupils’ mastery of mathematics is on par with others in their year group. For pupils who remain with us, or enter during, Key Stage 4, a two year programme of study is built around the individual to prepare for accreditation in year eleven. Qualifications take the form of Entry Level through AQA, the Level One Award in Number & Measure with EdExcel or OCR GCSE certification.

Accreditation in mathematics is vital for any post sixteen pathway pupils undertake and providing them with a course suited to their abilities is a decision that is undertaken by the mathematics department in conjunction with parents/carers and, most importantly, the pupils themselves.

Each individual pupil has a ‘Maths Pupil Learning Plan’ which documents the learning pathway bespoke to that particular pupil’s needs and the progress they make in relation to their pathway.

Decisions about when to progress a pupil through the units of work is based on the security of the pupil’s understanding. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly and securely are challenged through problem solving activities and exam style content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent within a particular stage are given time to consolidate their understanding through additional practice before moving on. Topic content within Schemes of Work is sequenced to provide opportunity for pupils to revisit previously learned concepts and knowledge and understand their relation to new topics.

Significant emphasis is placed upon providing opportunity for our pupils to communicate their understanding, believing this to be a crucial part in developing reasoning skills. We achieve this through a number of activities which encourage pupils to explain their mathematical thinking when investigating problems. A range of strategies are used to periodically revisit key concepts to ensure understanding has been embedded long term.

Maths News