Curriculum Intent

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‘Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas’

Albert Einstein

Mathematics is a fascinating, enthralling subject that is vital in everything that we do. Fostering a love of learning the subject and appreciating the beauty of Mathematics are key elements that underpin the curriculum. Passion for Mathematics is created and nurtured, key character strengths are developed and self-confidence is increased throughout the curriculum. Mathematics provides a firm foundation for students to thrive in modern society. All students see the value in Mathematics, supported by regular references to the use of the subject in the real world and raising aspiration by identifying links to careers. In Mathematics, we create analytical, curious, resilient problem solvers who can transfer these skills to their everyday lives outside the classroom. All students are empowered to talk like an expert and to articulate reasoned answers to problems, respecting and valuing the contributions of their team mates in the classroom. This mutual respect between learners creates an atmosphere where students are not afraid of making mistakes, as all students understand that making, and then correcting, these mistakes are a key part of the learning process in Mathematics.

The Mathematics curriculum, informed by educational research and exceeding the demands of the National Curriculum, has been carefully crafted and sequenced to be ambitious for all students, no matter of their starting point. Units are broken down into small connected and structured steps, each acting as a building block for the next. Year groups study the ‘story’ of a topic as they progress from one year to the next, with their depth of their knowledge of the story increasing over time. In every unit, Big Questions are posed to students, which stimulate their curiosity and develop cultural capital (‘Has zero always been a number?’), whilst also making connections to the local community of our students (‘How many bricks were used in the construction of the Suthers School?’). Important Mathematicians, and their impact on the world, are identified, with students given opportunities to research the answers to questions such as ‘Who was known as the Father of Algebra?’.

The Mathematics curriculum at the Suthers School empowers all students by:

Stimulating, developing and nurturing the passion of all students

Equipping students with the tools to become resilient problem solvers

Developing the school wide character strengths in every lesson

Identifying misconceptions to anticipate common mistakes and increase understanding for all

Exploring historically, current and culturally important Mathematicians and Mathematical events

Raising aspiration by making links to further and higher education and careers

Delivering a consistent focus on real world applications of Mathematics

Narrowing the vocabulary gap, by promoting a high level of oracy, giving all students the opportunity to talk like an expert

Making connections between topics through careful and effective sequencing

Making cross curricular links to other subjects

Fostering a spirit of competition and personal ambition through events such as the Junior, Intermediate and Senior Mathematics Challenges

Championing the vital significance of Mathematics through whole school events such as Enigma Day and Pi Day.

To access the curriculum plans for each year group, please use the links at the side of this page.

If a year group link is not available you can contact our Maths Team at contact@suthersschool.co.uk where they will get back to you with further information.