Mathematics
Mathematics is a core subject and one which pretty much pervades every aspect of existence on Earth, the universe and beyond. Maths is found in areas as diverse as music, the arts, nature and construction, as well as in all the obvious places you would expect to find it such as science, medicine, finance, engineering, computing, and everyday life. You simply cannot avoid maths – it is everywhere and you are often doing maths without even realising it!
At RTS we have a carefully structured 5 year maths curriculum designed to challenge and engage all our pupils – from those coming to us with very little maths ability, to those looking to really push on and develop their skills from a strong starting point. We use a mastery approach, which recognises that different people learn in different ways, and so caters to all learners through the use of manipulatives and visual aids to learning. This ensures comprehensive in-depth understanding of concepts through exploration, discovery, discussion and debate – encouraging students to articulate their responses to teachers and to each other, actively promoting the constructive challenging of ideas and misconceptions throughout the learning journey.
We feel it is important that students understand the relevance of maths in the modern world and workplace and are able to recognise when and how to apply the skills we give them. Through practical activities, project work and STEM problem solving we encourage our students to discover real world applications as they expand their horizons and develop skills that are not only used across other subjects in school, but recognised and valued by employers, and that they will draw on themselves for the rest of their lives.
Curriculum Content
Assessment Summary
In KS3 and KS4 (years 7-11) all students will complete a short assessment after each block of learning. Each of these short assessments will consist of 20 marks, and are designed to indicate the student’s depth of understanding for each topic.
A percentage mark for each short assessment will be awarded and reported against a school average.
After each short assessment, pupils will use progress trackers to analyse their individual areas for improvement, which map out specific Hegarty Maths exercises, so students have the opportunity to take responsibility for their own progress.
In addition, in the last week of each half term, there will be a set of feedback lessons based on each short assessment, which will consist of individualised follow up work. Students will then have the opportunity to showcase their progress in an end of half-term assessment, which comprises all the topics covered in that half-term.
In KS5 students will complete a mini assessment after each unit, allowing them to identify the gaps in their knowledge and fix them. There will also be formal mock periods, one at the end of year 12 and then one at the start of spring term in year 13.