Mathematics

All Students at Whitworth Community High School follow an ambitious and rigorous curriculum which is underpinned and driven by the National Curriculum throughout key stages 3 and 4. The transition from key stage 2 is purposefully planned and seamless enabling students to make continued progress in Mathematics during their secondary education. 

Key Stage 3 (Year 7, 8, 9)

At Key Stage 3, the Mathematics curriculum emphasises the importance of declarative knowledge, which includes facts, formulae, concepts, and rules, to build a foundation for applying procedural knowledge. This combination helps students develop conceptual understanding and the ability to reason and solve problems. The adapted White Rose Maths curriculum is structured around a carefully designed scheme of learning that interweaves content with key topics and questions, ensuring that all learning is meaningfully connected and the national curriculum is covered.

What do the assessments look like at Key stage 3?

Formative assessments conducted in class may include: block assessments at the end of a topic, maths marking crib sheets to be used at the teacher’s discretion and retrieval practice quizzes. 

Summative assessments are planned at the end of each term assessing students’ progress in both calculator and/or non calculator papers.

Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and Year 11)

Year 10 and 11 follow the Edexcel GCSE syllabus which is demanding and rigorous with students experiencing a range of challenging content and deep learning which enthuses and empowers students to challenge themselves in the subject. Although the course is examined within two tiers, higher and foundation at the end of year 11, all students are taught to the highest grade within their ability. Throughout the course students are provided with the opportunity to aim for the higher tier right up until the final entries in year11. No student is limited within the foundation tier of entry. 

Foundation Tier cover grades 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Higher Tier - 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, (3)

In key stage 4, students are prepared for 3 examinations. 1 Non - Calculator and 2 Calculator papers. 

What do the assessments look like at Key Stage 4?

Formative assessments: block assessments at the end of a topic, maths marking crib sheets to be used at the teacher’s discretion and retrieval practice quizzes.

Summative assessments: in year 10 and 11 students are provided with the opportunity to practise full examination papers during interim, mock and end of year examinations. This allows students to be exposed to the question types, layout and structure as well as the 90 minute duration for each paper.

Year 10 students sit 2 sets of mock exams - the first set to be sat before Christmas and the second at the end of year 10. 

Year 11 students sit 2 sets of mock exams - the first set to be sat in November and the second in March. 

Cultural Capital   

Students’ cultural capital is developed through various topics within the curriculum such as budgeting, understanding payslips and deductions of tax, national insurance and pension contribution, currency conversion, recipes and proportions, personal finance, simple and compound interest and VAT. When teaching standard form students’ attention is drawn to the wonders of the solar system and the wider universe by using examples based around the speed of light and distances between celestial bodies. Speed, distance and time and mass, density and volume problems make strong links with Science and help students understand Mathematics as the language of Science. The history of Mathematics is explored which demonstrates the universal nature of the subject. Students are introduced to famous Mathematicians, such as Pythagoras and Fibonacci, along with the theories or rules they are famous for.   

British Values

At Whitworth Community High School in Mathematics, teachers help promote British Values in several ways, as it encourages a range of qualities that align with core British Values, such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance. Through problem-solving and logical reasoning, students are encouraged to make informed choices, analyse different solutions, and justify their reasoning. Students learn that in mathematics, like in society, there are rules that must be followed to achieve correct outcomes. In Mathematics, students have the freedom to explore different approaches to solving problems and can develop their own reasoning and methods. Mathematics encourages collaboration, where students work together to solve problems and share ideas. Group activities and peer discussions foster an environment of mutual respect, as students listen to each other’s viewpoints, appreciate different problem-solving strategies, and support one another in their learning. Students are taught that there may be more than one valid way to reach a solution, which fosters tolerance and understanding of different perspectives. This can translate to broader social tolerance by promoting an appreciation for diversity in thinking and approaches to challenges. Overall, the National Curriculum for Mathematics provides a framework for developing both academic skills and personal values, aligning with the core principles of British Values.

Post 16 Courses 

Many of our students go to the local sixth form colleges to study Mathematics at A Level and other Mathematics related courses such as; further mathematics, economics, accounting and statistics.

Some examples of current University courses around the UK which include Mathematics