Mathematics

Our Maths faculty have an inspiring vision which drives all they do: ‘Teaching students Mathematics skills for life’.

They are a large and highly skilled faculty of staff who genuinely love maths, and who convey their love of the subject to all the students they teach. Comprising thirteen staff with many years’ experience, the maths team focuses relentlessly on enabling students to understand the kind of maths which they will use for the rest of their lives, and ensuring that students’ confidence with numeracy is at the forefront of every lesson. All students study maths at both KS3 and KS4, along with a significant number choosing to carry on with the subject at post-16. So students are fully prepared for GCSE, elements of the GCSE curriculum are covered in Years 8 to 10; Year 11 involves students revising and consolidating this knowledge. The faculty are also actively involved in our Year 6 Transition Week, meaning that students’ primary school maths skills never dip.

In their maths lessons, students are encouraged to solve problems for themselves, and to become learners who can draw on all their knowledge of numbers and mathematical processes to understand why they get the answers they do. They focus on applying maths to real life scenarios across a wide range of topics, and are always stretched to increase their knowledge by being given challenging next steps.

The faculty prides itself on being organised, dedicated and hard-working, and teaching lessons which make students think at all times. Consequently, the results achieved by the Maths faculty are impressive, and mean that students leave Ridgewood equipped with the mathematical skills and knowledge they require for the next step in their education or career. As well as success in examinations, the faculty consider it essential that students enjoy maths beyond the classroom and annually enter students for the UK Maths Challenge, aiming to win a bronze, silver or gold certificate for their mathematical skills.

For more information about A level Maths and Further Maths, please visit our Sixth Form course pages.

Year 7

Year 7 Topics and Assessment

Algebra (algebraic notation and forming expressions, simplifying algebra, substitution, expanding and factorising, forming and solving equations, forming and solving equations including inequalities, sequences)
Number (fractions, fractions of an amount, arithmetic with fractions, number theory, percentages, ratio, written calculations, rounding and approximation)
Geometry (angles, angles in parallel line and constructions, volume, Pythagoras’ theorem)
Data handling (charts and averages)

Students will be assessed in Weeks 6, 18 and 30 of the school year, as well as completing independent learning assignments.

Useful websites

www.mrbartonmaths.com/gcsetakeaway
www.corbettmaths.com
www.mrcartermaths.com (Username and password available from your child’s maths teacher)

To further support your child in Maths, you can remind him/her of the importance of having the correct equipment: pen, pencil, 30cm ruler, protractor, compass and a scientific calculator if possible. It would also be beneficial to students if they were encouraged to complete homework to a high standard using either revision guides or the websites above to support them.

Year 8

Year 8 Topics and Assessment

Foundation Tier	Higher Tier
Integers and place value	Calculations, checking and rounding
Decimals	Indices, roots, reciprocals and hierarchy of operations
Indices, powers and roots	Factors, multiples, primes, standard form and surds
Factors, multiples and primes	Algebra: the basics, setting up, rearranging and solving equations
Algebra: the basics	Sequences
Expressions and substitution into formulae	Averages and range
Tables, charts and graphs	Representing and interpreting data and scatter graphs
Pie charts	Fractions and percentages
Scatter graphs	Ratio and proportion
Fractions, decimals and percentages	Polygons, angles and parallel lines
Percentages	Pythagoras’ Theorem and trigonometry
Equations and inequalities
Sequences
Properties of shapes, parallel lines and angle facts
Interior and exterior angles of polygons

Students will be assessed in Weeks 7, 19 and 31 of the school year.

Useful websites

www.mrbartonmaths.com/gcsetakeaway
www.corbettmaths.com
www.mrcartermaths.com (Username and password available from your child’s maths teacher)

Year 9

Year 9 Topics and Assessment

Foundation Tier	Higher Tier
Integers and place value	Calculations, checking and rounding
Decimals	Indices, roots, reciprocals and hierarchy of operations
Indices, powers and roots	Factors, multiples, primes, standard form and surds
Factors, multiples and primes	Algebra: the basics, setting up, rearranging and solving equations
Algebra: the basics	Sequences
Expressions and substitution into formulae	Averages and range
Tables, charts and graphs	Representing and interpreting data and scatter graphs
Pie charts	Fractions and percentages
Scatter graphs	Ratio and proportion
Fractions, decimals and percentages	Polygons, angles and parallel lines
Percentages	Pythagoras’ Theorem and trigonometry
Equations and inequalities	Graphs: the basics and real-life graphs
Properties of shapes, parallel lines and angle facts	Linear graphs and coordinate geometry
Interior and exterior angles of polygons	Quadratic, cubic and other graphs
Statistics, sampling and the averages	Perimeter, area and circles
Right-angled triangles: Pythagoras and trigonometry	3D forms and volume, cylinders, cones and spheres
Real-life graphs
Straight-line graphs

Students will be assessed in Weeks 8, 20 and 32 of the school year.

Useful websites

www.mrbartonmaths.com/gcsetakeaway
www.corbettmaths.com
www.mrcartermaths.com (Username and password available from your child’s maths teacher)

KS4

At GCSE, students follow the Edexcel Mathematics GCSE specification.

The KS4 maths curriculum builds on the skills learnt at KS3. Year 10 and 11 follow a scheme of learning which introduces new topics based on the tier of exam the students are sitting (Foundation or Higher) while practising and furthering the key skills taught at KS3.

Exam revision guides and workbooks are available in the School Shop.

The Edexcel Mathematics paper (9-1) is assessed with 100% examination at the end of Year 11:

Paper 1 – 90 mins – Non Calculator

Paper 2 – 90 mins – Calculator

Paper 3 – 90 mins – Calculator

The full specification can be found at:

https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/mathematics/2015/specification-and-sample-assesment/gcse-maths-2015-specification.pdf

Please use the 'Contact Us' facility on this website if you would like any further information about the Mathematics scheme of learning.

Year 10 Topics and Assessment

Foundation Tier	Higher Tier
Perimeter, area and volume	Accuracy and bounds
Transformations	Transformations
Ratio	Constructions, loci and bearings
Proportion	Solving quadratic and simultaneous equations
Probability	Inequalities
Multiplicative reasoning – Compound Units	Probability
Multiplicative reasoning – extended percentage and proportion	Multiplicative reasoning
Plans and elevations	Similarity and congruence in 2D and 3D
Constructions, loci and bearings	Graphs of trigonometric functions
Probability	Further trigonometry
Multiplicative reasoning – compound units	Collecting data
Multiplicative reasoning – extended percentage and proportion	Cumulative frequency, box plots and histograms
Plans and elevations	Quadratics, expanding more than two brackets, sketching graphs, graphs of circles, cubes and quadratics
Constructions, loci and bearings	Circle theorems
Quadratic equations: expanding and factorising	Circle geometry
Quadratic equations: graphs	Changing the subject of formulae (more complex), algebraic fractions, solving equations arising from algebraic fractions, rationalising surds, proof
Circles, cylinders, cones and spheres	Vectors and geometric proof
Fractions and reciprocals	Reciprocal and exponential graphs; Gradient and area under graphs
Indices and standard form	Direct and inverse proportion
Similarity and congruence in 2D
Vectors
Rearranging equations, graphs of cubic and reciprocal functions and simultaneous equations

Students will be assessed in Weeks 8, 20 and 36/37 of the school year.

Year 11 Topics and Assessment

Throughout Year 11, student will recap and revise the topics detailed above, with the curriculum bespoke to the needs of each class. Students will prepare rigorously for their GCSE examinations which take place in the summer term.

Home learning details and how parents can support their children:

Ensure all students have pen, pencil, ruler, protractor, compass and scientific calculator.
Ensure students complete weekly homework
Encourage students to do revision at home. Workbooks with accompanying revision guides are available at the school shop.
During KS4 students are preparing for their GCSE at the end of Year 11 so it would be very beneficial to their mathematical studies if parents encouraged students to revise using past papers, previous assessments and other questions for about 20 minutes, five times per week.

Useful web links:

Students can access exam questions and practice on specific topics at the following websites:

Mr Barton Maths GCSE Takeaway
Corbett Maths 5 A Day
Maths Genie Predicted papers (Not official papers but great for practice)
Mr Carter Maths (Username and password available from your child’s maths teacher)

These websites usually provide worked solutions. Students are encouraged to mark their work at home and then bring it in to school to ask their teacher for support on anything they have found challenging.

The CGP Head Start to A Level Maths textbook is currently available for free on Kindle. This might be useful for students looking to study A level Maths. If students find any topics challenging, they should work through questions on the topic using Corbett Maths or Maths Genie (links above).

Maths KS3 Steps Grid
PDF File