Maths
Our GCSE Maths curriculum ensures that all pupils:
- Develop the skills needed to function effectively in the real world, in everyday situations, thus enhancing their future wellbeing.
- To be able to communicate mathematically with others and solve problems efficiently; a skill desired by many employers.
- Gain the qualifications needed for progression into the next stages of their lives, whether it be a college course, an apprenticeship, or gaining any type of employment.
- Have their gaps in knowledge identified quickly (through baselining, questioning, regular summative assessments, and formatively through APP grids, and Mock exams), and offer a wider range of intervention strategies than they would receive at a mainstream school, including a personalised maths program for Year 11’s based on the analysis of their Mock papers.
The skills acquired from the course form a trio of ways in which they will be ‘thinking mathematically’:
- Becoming fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
- Reason mathematically, by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
- Solving problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
The progression of the course leads on from either;
The KS3 curriculum at CELC (mapped out by the AQA Unit Award Scheme), and the explicit teaching of Functional Skill Level 1 & 2 Maths, which provides a stable pre-requisite for the functional elements of the assessment in this GCSE course.
OR (more often)
Pupils come at different stages of KS4, from having being taught a variety of different versions of the maths curriculum (some start in year 9 or year 10, and follow different exam boards/route maps), and many have simply missed large amounts of knowledge & skills.
The ‘Foundation Tier’ caters for grades 1-5, and pupils have a pathway to the higher grades 6-9, through the ‘Higher Tier’ if they are progressing at such a rate.
Both tiers aim to develop pupil’s knowledge and skills in all the following 6 strands:
- Number
- Algebra
- Geometry and measures
- Ratio, proportion, and rates of change
- Probability
- Statistics
The course is embedded in a CELC long-term plan that spans 2 years, ensures pupils receive a proper GCSE transition for the techniques and terminology not met at KS3 and builds in opportunities for pupils to experience mathematics in wider contexts, incorporates British values and PSHE themes, create awe and wonder about mathematics - by linking resources and discussions to various Social, Moral, Cultural, and Spiritual contexts.
See our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) page for all remote learning resources for Maths
Additional resources
- Corbett - Maths – This is a great site, which has a vast range of resources for both KS3 and KS4. We often use worksheets, and exam style questions from here within lessons. Watching the topic related videos would be useful for pupils to support them with each topic.
- BBC Bitesize: GCSE Maths revision - A highly regarded site, renowned for its excellent GCSE revision resources.
- BBC Bitesize: AQ exam specs - Currently we use AQA for years 10 and 11: resources, where you will find methods, followed by Question and Answer revision, and short tests on the adjacent tab:
- Maths made easy - Maths - Revision (all key stages), and past papers – If you have a printer handy, it is worth printing some past papers off form here, giving them a go – Then checking your answers using the mark schemes.
- TES - secondary subjects (sign up email) – Mainly used by teachers from around the world who share some amazing resources with each other, more often than not for FREE. As a pupil/parent there is no harm in signing up and searching for a topic to see what you can download and try. Summaries and guides are good here too.
- Transum Mathematics - Famous for its excellent short problems (often used at the start of a lesson). This site is amazing, and has some of the best, most puzzles, activities, and games there is available. The interactive element of this site is outstanding, and very easy to navigate.
- Khan Academy (sign up as Parent / Learner) - Great maths videos. The videos carefully demonstrate each and every topic in a step-by-step way. Well worth signing up for! Revision questions are available to supplement the videos.
- Bitesize Daily - From 20 April, you’ll be able to access regular daily lessons in English and Maths, as well as other core subjects, in an expanded version of our website and also on special programmes broadcast on BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button.
- My Maths - Maths (Password: Obtuse, username: Coventryelc) – One of the most comprehensive, and interactive maths sites around. Complete lessons available in every topic (KS3 and KS4). If you need a bit of light relief from the step by step lessons, support your learning, and indeed your problem solving skills, by trying some of the games on here! How to login and use My Maths
CELC Maths Challenge
- Each year we offer pupils’ the chance to take on the either the Junior Maths Challenge or the Intermediate Maths Challenge
- These consist of a nationally accredited range of interesting maths puzzles with multiple choice answers – but be careful not to just guess as you will lose marks for guessing incorrect, whereas you lose nothing for just leaving out that question.
- Top performing pupils will normally be rewarded a bronze, silver, or gold certificate and a prize!
- It’s good fun, and it sharpens the mind in tacking tricky problems.
You can submit answers your answers to CELC@coventry.gov.uk
You should include your name, the challenge, and your answers in the following format.
Example:
Name: _________
- A
- B
- A
- E
Etc.
- Junior maths challenge
- Intermediate maths challenge
Also, here are some extra puzzles you might like to have a go at just for fun