This resource provides a quick and easy map of your child’s curriculum journey in English. 

Mathematics is the study of number, algebra, geometry, and change and our intent is to deliver an ambitious curriculum, accessible to all students, that enables students to have a deep understanding of mathematics, ensuring that all students fulfil their potential.

We will be ambitious for all students throughout their journey with us, covering the same core concepts through Y7 to Y10, with informed decisions around tiered entry ensuring the curriculum is tailored to the needs of students. 

We are developing the use of bar modelling and manipulatives to support our ambitious curriculum to be accessible to all learners and develop our explanations and modelling. We want all students to be able to reason, problem solve and discuss mathematically, and this is the reasoning behind working with a mastery scheme of learning.

Our commitment is to continue developing our teaching team, irrespective of career stage, so our learners can excel.  We have developed a consistent lesson structure which embodies our commitment to retrieval, interleaving, modelling and growing student independence;

• Retrieval Practice & Making sense of the maths
• Modelling Examples (I Do)
• Joint Tasks (We Do)
• Independent Practice (You Do) 

Mathematics is important at Co-op Academy Walkden because:

• It helps us to understand and make connections to the wider world.
• It helps us to manage our personal finances so that we may have a better quality of life.  
• It improves our chances in college, university, and in terms of employability.
• It builds students’ confidence in taking small steps towards a solution. While there may only be one right answer, students can see that there are alternative ways of getting there.
• Mathematics fosters reasoning and it teaches problem solving and these are two extremely sought-after skills. 
• Mathematics is everywhere and in everything, it links to many other subjects such as Science, Music, Food, Design and Technology and Geography. 
• Mathematics can promote discussion and its axioms are important to developing a logical reasoned argument.

Our curriculum is sequenced in a particular way as to learn mathematics effectively, some things have to be learned before others, e.g. place value needs to be understood before working with addition and subtraction, addition needs to be learnt before looking at multiplication (as a model of repeated addition). For some other topics, the order is not quite so important.

Key Stage Three

Year 7

In Year 7 Autumn Term, we start with Algebraic Thinking as algebra occurs frequently across the years as ideas become more abstract. Variety and consolidation are two important things that are developed throughout the Scheme of Learning. Many topics are interleaved throughout the coming years and we also revisit them courtesy of our ‘Flashback 4’ model that starts in Year 7. We begin by recalling information from the KS2 curriculum and then progress to retrieving information from the prior term.  

Place Value and Proportion follows on and this is where we develop our ideas about numbers up to a billion and decimals to hundredths, different representations of these numbers, and introducing powers of ten and standard form. Understanding numbers on number lines is here so that students establish a sound foundation we can build on when plotting axes in later years. We also look at ordering numbers and start to look at median and range in order to minimise the confusion that sometimes presents itself when mean, median, mode and range are taught together. Topics from the first unit such as sequences will be interleaved to promote retrieval. Building on the work on decimals we will look at the links between fractions, decimals and percentages that occur most frequently in everyday life. As a related context, Pie Charts will now be introduced to depict fractions under one.

In the Year 7 Spring Term, we move to Applications of Number. The focus starts with building on the formal methods for addition and subtraction that students have developed at KS2. The focus will be on interpreting and solving problems rather than fluency in calculation although some may need support here. Problems will be drawn from the contexts of perimeter, money, bar charts and frequency trees. Significant figures and equations will be interleaved into this term. Calculators will be encouraged to check calculations and to build students’ confidence in fluency in using calculators independently. The remainder of this term is devoted to multiplication and division in the contexts of forming and solving two step equations. Rather than looking at the impact of multiplying by 10, 100, 1000 in isolation we will look at this and metric units together to establish mental models as well as problems in area and the mean, as these are linked with both multiplication and division. This then extends to using multiplication and division to find fractions and percentages of amounts.

In the second half of the term the focus shifts onto the vital topics of Directed Number and Fractional Thinking.  Up to this point, some students will have had little experience with negative numbers so this block is designed to extend and deepen their understanding of this. We want to prioritise using multiple representations for negatives and truly develop the meaning of the operations we are using. We will not be relying on any confusing ‘quick fix’ rules as this leads to many misconceptions in KS4.  We will interleave prior topics to include negatives. Once we have established sound understanding of negatives, we will move onto another key topic in number which is the equivalence of fractions and we will develop understanding of the origins of adding and subtracting fractions 

In Year 7 Summer Term, we start to look at Geometry and ask students to focus on their skills in measuring increasingly complex shapes and focus on correct mathematical notation for angles, shapes and parallel lines which echoes developing notation work for algebra that we did in the first term. Pie charts will be revisited alongside measuring angles. Basic geometric language, names and properties of shapes including classifying shapes will be supporting work on parallel lines topics which will be introduced briefly before being reintroduced in later years. In the final section of the year we are focussed on Reasoning with Number, reviewing and extending mental strategies with number and algebra. Fractions, decimals and percentages (FDP) equivalence will be revisited in the study of probability and students will study set notation and the logic of Venn diagrams. Venn diagram work will then support the last topic of the study, namely, that of ‘least common multiple’ (LCM) and ‘highest common factor’ (HCF) and prime numbers. 

Year 8 

In Year 8 Autumn Term, the unit on Proportional Reasoning focuses initially on the meaning of ratio and the various models that can be used to represent ratios. Based on this understanding, it moves on to sharing in a ratio given the whole or one of the parts, and there is a great emphasis on bar modelling to ensure the correct approach to the problem is followed and understood. After this we look at simplifying ratios, using previous answers to deepen the understanding of equivalent ratio rather than cancelling as a procedure. We also explore the links between ratios and fractions and use pi as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter as an application. We also look at gradient in preparation for the next half term. Students then delve into the link between ratio and scaling, including the idea of direct proportion, linking graphs with currency conversion. Links are also made with maps and scales, and the use of scale factors to find missing lengths in pairs of similar shapes. This will be revisited later when talking about ‘within’ and ‘between’ similarity in preparation for trigonometry. In primary school, some students will have had a little experience of multiplying and dividing fractions. We seek to develop understanding at this stage of Year 8 moving away from procedural models such as ‘multiply across’ or ‘keep, flip and change’ until they understand the underlying principles. We will look at multiple representations, address misconceptions with an emphasis on understanding the reciprocal and its uses.

Building on their knowledge of coordinates from KS2 in the Representations unit, students will look formally at algebraic rules for straight lines, starting with lines parallel to the axes and moving on to the more general form (y=mx+c). They will explore notions of gradients and intercepts informally.  The focus at this stage is using the equations to produce lines rather than interpreting m and c as this will be covered in year 9. Use of technology to produce and illustrate graphs could be embedded using Desmos or equivalent packages. Appreciating the similarities and differences between sequences, lists of coordinates and lines is another key point. There will be opportunities to explore non-linear graphs and midpoints of line segments. Following the exploration of graphs based on equations, students stay with the topic graphs by being introduced to the ideas of bivariate data and of linear correlations and they extend their knowledge of graphs and charts from KS2 to deal with both discrete and continuous data. The last topic in the term is tables and probability. Building from the Year 7 unit, this short block reminds students of the ideas of probability, in particular looking at sample spaces and the use of tables to represent these.

In Year 8 Spring Term, we return to Algebraic Techniques, building on students’ understanding of equivalence from Year 7. Students will explore expanding over a single bracket and factorising by taking out common factors. We will also explore expanding two binomials. All students will revisit and extend their knowledge of solving equations, now to include those with brackets and with unknowns on both sides. Bar models will be recommended as a tool to help students make sense of the maths. Students will also learn how to solve formal inequalities for the first time, learning the meaning of a solution set and exploring the similarities and differences compared to solving equations rather than just looking at procedural methods of finding solutions. The next short block revisits and reinforces students’ work from Year 7 on sequences, extending this to look at sequences with more complex algebraic rules now that students are more familiar with a wider range of notation. We will now look at finding a rule for the nth term of a linear sequence, using objects and images to understand the meaning of the rule. Before exploring the ideas behind the addition and subtraction laws of indices (which will be revisited when standard form is studied next term), the groundwork is laid by making sure students are comfortable with expressions involving powers, and simplifying powers. We will also extend this into finding powers of powers. Moving on to the next block we focus on the relationships between fractions and percentages, including decimal equivalents, and using these to work out percentage increase and decrease. Students also explore expressing one number as a fraction and a percentage of another. Both calculator and non-calculator methods are developed throughout to support students to choose the most efficient methods. Financial literacy is developed through the concept of profit, loss, and interest. Students will also look at finding the original value given a percentage or after a percentage change and revisit standard form from Year 7; this knowledge will be explored with context so students can make sense of where and why it is used. This unit will also include a basic introduction to negative and fractional indices. The last block in the term is number sense and this block provides a timely opportunity to revisit a lot of the basic skills in a wide variety of contexts. Estimations is a key focus and use of mental strategies will therefore be embedded throughout. We will also use conversion of metric units to revisit multiplying and dividing by 10, 10 and 1000 in context and extend this to look at the conversion of area and volume units, as well as error notations. Students will look explicitly at solving problems using the time and calendar as this area is sometimes neglected (especially whether or not to include the end date).

In Year 8 Summer Term, students are reintroduced to the important topic of Developing Geometry.  The first block of this term builds on the KS2 and Year 7 understanding of angle notation and relationships. All students will explore angles in parallel lines and thus solve increasingly complex missing angle problems. Links are then made to the closely connected properties of polygons and quadrilaterals. The use of dynamic geometry software to illustrate results is highly recommended, and all students will develop their understanding of the idea of proof. They will also start to explore constructions with rulers and pairs of compasses. We will return to the formula for the area of the trapezium and work with the formula for the area of a circle. A key aspect of this unit is choosing and using the correct formula for the correct shape, reinforcing recognising the shapes, their properties and names and looking explicitly at compound shapes. In the last topic of this half term, the teaching of reflections is split from that of rotation and translation to try and ensure students attain a deeper understanding and avoid mixing up the different concepts. Although there is comparatively little content in this block, it is worth investing time to build confidence with shapes and lines in different orientations. Students can revisit and enhance their knowledge of special triangles and quadrilaterals and focus on key vocabulary such as object, image, congruent etc. Rotations and translations will be explored in Year 9. The last half term of year 8 will be spent on reasoning with data. In a departure from the White Rose Maths delivery plan, we will introduce measures of location first followed by the application of the handling data cycle to offer us more flexibility for students to work on statistical projects. Students have already studied the median and the mean earlier in KS3.  We introduce the mode now and also look at when and why each average should be used.  We will also look at the mean from ungrouped frequency tables and the estimated mean from grouped frequency tables. We will consider outliers, exploring what effect these have on all the measures studied, and whether they should be included or excluded in our calculations. Again, much of the material in the block is designed to be a basis for exploration during project work. Much of the statistics content in KS3 is a continuation of that which is studied in primary school. We will now look at charts to compare different distributions and explore misleading graphs. Collection of data is also covered including designing and criticising questionnaires. As we are covering the elements of the data handling cycle, it may well be worth delivering these steps through an extended project and there is a suggestion that the last half term of Year 8 should be an extended statistical project such as ‘Mayfield High’ or ‘Used Car Prices’. This unit will also strengthen the data handling and representation which is a strong feature of the geography and science curricula. 

Year 9

In Year 9 Autumn Term, the unit Reasoning with Algebra starts with students revisiting and extending their knowledge of forming and solving linear equations and inequalities, including those related to different parts of the mathematics curriculum. They also explore rearranging formulae, seeing how this links to solving equations and reinforcing their understanding of the difference between equations, formulae, identities, and expressions. This is a good opportunity to practise non-calculator skills if appropriate. We move next to straight-line graphs building on the Year 8 content where students plotted simple straight-line graphs. They now study y=mx+c as the general form of the equation of a straight line, interpreting m and c in abstract and real-life contexts, and reducing to this form in simple cases. This will be explored further in the next block when students rearrange formulae. We will also consider inverse relationships and perpendicular lines. Reasoning is encouraged throughout the SOL, and this block allows time for direct teaching of this. The opportunity is taken to revisit primes, factors and multiples, which provides a wealth of opportunity to make and test simple conjectures. As well as testing given conjectures, students should be encouraged to create and test their own. An example given in the block is through looking at relationships in a 100 square; another great source of patterns is Pascal’s triangle. Students also develop their algebraic skills through developing chains of reasoning and learning how to expand a pair of binomials. The second half of the autumn term is spent on developing Constructing in 2 and 3 Dimensions. In this unit we focus on developing further the language of geometry such as faces, vertices and edges and we look at volume and surface area of 3D shapes. Students should be able to work out the volume of any prism extending into the exploration of conical and spherical shapes.  Alongside the use of pi, we will revisit estimation, decimal places, and significant figures in context.  Loci, constructions, and bearings will also be introduced alongside congruency. 

In Year 9 Spring Term, we continue with the theme of Year 9 being the year of consolidating and embracing reasoning and we will move to the topic of Reasoning with Number.  We will revisit types of number and extend this to include rational and real numbers. Students will consolidate fraction arithmetic, extend knowledge of the HCF and LCM and revisit standard form. We will review  percentage increase and decrease and use percentages greater than 100%. The more advanced concept of multipliers will start to replace finding percentages especially for reasoning with compound interest. Reverse percentages will be reintroduced alongside work with repeated percentage increase and decrease. In the second half of the spring term Reasoning with Geometry will be explored. The four topics underpinning this unit are proof, rotation, translation and Pythagoras’ Theorem. Students will revisit angle rules, including within special quadrilaterals, find angles using algebraic methods and begin to use chains of reasoning to evaluate angles. They will identify the order of rotational symmetry of a shape, find the result of rotating a shape, translate points and shapes by a given vector and understand variance and invariance. At this stage students will be able to find the result of a series of transformations. Since we are going to be studying Trigonometry in Year 10 a good base of Pythagoras will be developed here so when studying problems that contain both Pythagoras and Trigonometry, knowledge of Pythagoras will not be a hindrance. We will also be continuing the theme of reasoning and developing problems in 3D.

In Year 9 Summer Term, we continue with reasoning but move to consolidate Reasoning with Proportion. In line with the previous block we will continue developing transformations as we introduce enlargement and similarity, with both positive and negative scale factors, and also preparation for the unit on trigonometry looking at calculating the length of missing sides in similar shapes. Students will solve ratio and proportion problems involving direct proportion graphs and conversion graphs. Compound units will be introduced in the block and we will look at best buys, speed, distance time and density. In the second half of the summer term we will look at a variety of problems using graphs, tables and algebra which include more worded problems and developing inference skills.

Key Stage Four

Year 10

In Year 10 Autumn Term, we look at Similarity and students build on their experience of enlargement and similarity from previous years. This unit extends students’ experiences and looks more formally at dealing with topics such as similar triangles. We will use ICT to demonstrate what changes and what stays the same when manipulating similar shapes. Parallel line angle rules are revisited to support the concept of similarity. Congruence is introduced through considering what information is needed to produce a unique triangle. We will extend enlargement to ensure that everyone is comfortable with negative enlargement, which was introduced in Year 9, and look at demonstrating that a pair of triangles are congruent through formal proof. Trigonometry is introduced as a special case of similarity within right angled triangles. Emphasis will be placed throughout the steps on linking the trig functions to ratios, rather than just functions. This key topic is introduced early in Year 10 to allow regular revisiting e.g. when looking at bearings. We will return to trigonometric graphical representation in Year 11. In the second half of the term, we will move to Developing Algebra. Students will have covered both equations and inequalities at key stage 3, and this unit offers the opportunity to revisit and reinforce standard techniques and deepen their understanding. Looking at the difference between equations and inequalities, students will establish the difference between a solution and a solution set and they will also explore how number lines and graphs can be used to represent the solutions to inequalities. In addition to solving equations, emphasis needs to be placed on forming equations from given information. This provides an excellent opportunity to revisit other topics in the curriculum such as angles on a straight line/in shapes/parallel lines, probability and area and perimeter. Factorising quadratics to solve equations is covered at this time as well. Students now move on to the solution of simultaneous equations by both algebraic and graphical methods. With elimination, all types of equations will be considered, covering simple addition and subtraction up to complex pairs where both equations need adjustment. Links will be made to graphs and forming the equations will be explored as well as solving them. We will extend this by looking at the solution of a pair of simultaneous equations where one is quadratic, again dealing with factorisation only at this stage.

In Year 10 Spring Term, we return to Geometry. As well as the formal introduction of bearings this block provides a great opportunity to revisit other material and make links across the mathematics curriculum. Accurate drawing and use of scale will be vital, as is the use of parallel line angles rules; all of these have been covered in KS3. Students will also reinforce their understanding of trigonometry and Pythagoras’ theorem from earlier this year, applying their skills in another context as well as using mathematics to model real-life situations. The next block covered is working with circles and introduces new content whilst making use of prior learning. The formulae for arc length and sector area are built up from students’ understanding of fractions. They are also introduced to the formulae for surface area and volume of spheres and cones; here students can enhance their knowledge and skills of working with area and volume ratios. Four of the circle theorems are also introduced and the remaining theorems will be introduced in Year 11.  Students will have met vectors to describe translations during KS3. This will be revisited and used as the basis for looking more formally at vectors, discovering the meaning of -a compared to a to make sense of operations such as addition and multiplication of vectors. This will connect to exploring ‘journeys’ within shapes linking the notation AB with b-a etc. Students will then use this understanding as the basis for developing geometric proof, making links to their knowledge of properties of shape and parallel lines. In the second half of spring term we move to the unit Proportions and Proportional Change. This block builds on KS3 work on ratio and fractions, highlighting similarities and differences and links to other areas of mathematics including algebra and geometry, the focus on reasoning and understanding notation to support the solution of increasingly complex problems that include information presented in a variety of forms. The bar model is a key tool used to support representing and solving these problems. Although percentages are not specifically mentioned in the KS4 curriculum, they feature heavily in GCSE papers and this block builds on the understanding gained in KS3. Calculator methods are encouraged throughout and are essential for repeated percentage change/growth and decay problems. Application of financial context is central to this block, helping students to maintain familiarity with the vocabulary they are likely to use outside school. The last block of the spring term builds on KS3 and provides a good context in which to revisit fraction arithmetic and conversion between fractions, decimals, and percentages. Tables and Venn diagrams are revisited and understanding and use of tree diagrams is developed with conditional probability being a key focus for all students.

In Year 10 Summer Term, we return to statistics with the unit Delving into Data. This block builds on KS3 work on the collection, representation and use of summary statistics to describe data. Much of the content is familiar, both from previous study within and beyond mathematics (including Geography and Science) and from everyday life. The steps have been chosen to balance consolidation of existing knowledge with extending and deepening, particularly in terms of interpretation of results, and evaluating and critiquing statistical methods and diagrams. Further content will be covered relating to continuous data including histograms, cumulative frequency diagrams, box plots and associated measures such as quartiles and the interquartile range. Again, the emphasis with these topics should be on interpretation and making comparisons between data sets. A possible approach to teaching the unit could be an extended project emulating the format in KS3 but using data from other subject areas such as PE, Science or Geography. In the second half of the summer term the focus shifts to Using Number. The block revises and builds on KS3 content for calculation. Mental methods and using number sense are to be encouraged alongside the formal methods for all four operations with integers, decimals, and fractions. Where possible this should be covered through problem solving, particularly multi-step problems in GCSE. The limits of accuracy of truncation are explored and compared to rounding and all students will look at all aspects of irrational numbers, including surds. We then move to looking at types of numbers and sequences. In this block we revise KS3 content reviewing prime factorisation and associated content such as HCF and LCM. Sequences are extended for all students to include surds and quadratic sequences.  The final block of Year 10 consolidates the previous two blocks focussing on understanding powers, and standard form. Negative and fractional indices are explored in detail. Again, much of this content will be familiar from KS3 allowing for more time for general non-calculator and problem-solving practice.

Year 11

In Year 11 there are two key principles that are important to us:

• All students will follow a SOL until revision takes place.
• All students will have opportunities to close gaps highlighted by mock examinations.

All students will continue to follow the White Rose Schemes of Learning although there will be an increased emphasis on tiering students into the correct examination and making the work relevant to the examination they will be sitting and for this reason some students who will be clearly studying the Foundation Tier will concentrate on this level of work and will follow a one year scheme to embed and consolidate their learning. There will be opportunities during starters or off scheme lessons to work with Question Level Analysis weaknesses. (QLA)

During the first half of Year 11 Autumn term, all students will focus on Expanding and Factorising brackets, solving quadratic equations, solving linear equations, rearranging formulae, and functions. In addition to this, higher tier students will study how to solve equations by completing the square and using the quadratic formula, changing the subject where the subject appears more than once and working with inverse functions. The next half term all students will focus on Graphs, finding and using equations of straight lines, plotting and reading quadratic curves, understanding and finding roots, plotting cubic and reciprocal graphs, reflecting shapes in given lines, constructing and interpreting Speed, distance and time graphs, and constructing real-life graphs. In addition to this, higher tier students will understand and use exponential graphs, understand and use equations of perpendicular lines and study pre-calculus. 

In Year 11 Spring Term, the focus will be Reasoning, Communication and Revision.  All students will be looking at multiplicative reasoning, geometric reasoning and algebraic reasoning using more heavily worded context to prepare Year 11 students for the rigour of exam material at GCSE and beyond. Higher students will focus on proof across these three reasoning strands to move from reasoning to formal proof. In the second half of spring term students will be focusing on Revision and Communication to make them highly effective at using mathematics to communicate arguments.  

In Year 11 Summer Term, the focus will be on supporting our students to achieve the best outcomes and making them ‘college ready’. This term will be directed by the teaching team using assessment formatively to effectively identify and narrow gaps in performance through highly adaptive teaching

The Curriculum Overview provides information as to how the curriculum is sequenced to enable students to build their knowledge and skills towards ambitious endpoints in each subject area. Each terms’ learning is complemented by a knowledge organiser. 

Maths is so important. You will need at least a Grade 5 in Maths to access some Level 3 courses. Most careers will ask you to have a certain level of Maths too. Your grade in English and Maths will always be looked at by employers when they are considering you for a job.

From studying a Maths GCSE, you can go on to study Maths A-Level or a Level 3 Certificate in Core Maths. A Level 3 certificate in Core Maths is worth half an A-level and can help you if some of your career is going to involve maths. For example, psychologists or business studies students might find Core Maths helpful.

Studying an A-level in Maths can lead to studying all sorts of subjects at University or onto exciting maths based apprenticeships. For example:

• Accountancy;
• Civil Engineering;
• Data Scientist;
• Engineer.

Check out the range of apprenticeships here which need you to have good maths skills or take a look at some more information about maths based degrees here.

You can also study Maths at Degree level alongside many other subjects, such as:

• Business Management;
• Computer Science;
• Economics;
• Education.

Have a look at the UCAS website to see how many different combinations you can do.

Degree apprenticeships are becoming a more popular route and there are many degree apprenticeships that involve maths. Whilst they are competitive, degree apprenticeships give you paid on the job experience as well as the company paying for your degree. Here are an example of just some of the degree apprenticeships which involve maths:

• Chartered Surveying;
• Aerospace Engineering;
• Banking Relationships Manager.

Find out more about degree apprenticeship here.