Maths Key Stage 3

Our Key Stage programme of study is currently being revised. Currently year 7 are following an adapted scheme of work based on White Rose Maths. This has been developed by an award winning team of teachers and meets national requirements. Year 8 and 9 follow our own scheme of work with elements of White Rose maths added. Subsequent year groups will then follow an adapted White Rose maths scheme of work. The website will be updated to reflect the changes made as we adapt our programme of study.

In year 7 we build up core knowledge that will provide the foundations for future learning. Mathematical fluency (the ability to recall basic facts and use them in more challenging problems) and studying to cultivate a love of learning are central to our philosophy. Emphasis is placed on good written methods, number skills and the use of algebra in problems. Assessments in year 7 are focussed end of unit tests to accurately assess students’ understanding and gauge whether they are making expected progress.

In year 8 we extend students’ learning. A greater emphasis is placed on demanding strategies to solve problems in all topic areas, particularly linking topic areas to increase the complexity of problems. Assessments are once again conducted using end of unit tests to accurately assess whether students are making expected progress.

In year 9 Students continue to build upon their knowledge of all areas of mathematics. We look towards the beginning of the GCSE course in year 10 and ensure students have the knowledge and understanding of core topics to progress to the next stage. Students face increasingly complex problems and scenarios, our most able students will begin to access material from the higher tier of the GCSE syllabus. Clear written methods and good number skills are expected in every topic and students are expected to be able to link different areas of the subject to help solve problems with algebra now embedded throughout all topics. Students will continue to be assessed with the end of unit tests, but will also be exposed to GCSE papers as we prepare students for their upcoming GCSE.

Year 7Year 8Year 9
Key Concepts

Good written methods, number skills and use of algebra in problems. Discovering the love of learning.

Strategies to solve increasing complex problems

Building knowledge and understanding in the core topics.

Autumn Term

(Sep-Oct)

Exploring algebraic thinking. This unit looks at moving freely between numerical, algebraic, graphical and diagrammatic representations. Using algebra in different contexts including formulating mathematical concepts. Simplify and manipulate algebraic expressions to maintain equivalence.

Higher ability students will look at more complex algebraic manipulation.

Focus on embedding and understanding number and algebra topics. Fluency in calculations and understanding the number system. 

Simplify and manipulate algebraic expressions to maintain equivalence.

Higher ability students will look at expanding double brackets.

Extending understanding of the number system with a focus of calculations with directed numbers and prime factorisation of numbers with our highest able students extending into calculations with standard form.
Students will then study more complex algebraic manipulation than previous years including expanding and factorising.
Higher ability students will extend their algebraic skills into expanding double brackets and factorising quadratics.
Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Autumn Term

(Nov-Dec)

Consolidate understanding of number and the number system and place value. Move freely between different numerical representations (including fractions, decimals and percentage Gain a deep understanding of the links between different representations

Higher ability students will look at standard form and fractions above 1

Geometric reasoning with angles and angle problems including problems with parallel lines.

Understanding and applying Pythagoras’ theorem. Problems around data, charts and graphs. Construct and interpret pie charts and scatter graphs.

Higher ability student will study Pythagoras’ theorem

Extending problems and increasing complexity of geometric reasoning involving angles. This could include angles in polygons or angles in parallel lines. Students will also study Pythagoras’ theorem with our highest ability students extending their knowledge into trigonometry.
Consolidate understanding of different types of charts and graphs and be able to interpret them correctly and see how they fit into the data handling cycle. Highest ability students will extend their knowledge into looking at cumulative frequency diagrams and comparing data sets.
Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

.

Spring Term

(Jan-Feb)

Building on formal methods of calculations in the context of interpreting and solving problems. Looking at problems in a variety of contexts including money, area and perimeter and charts and graphs.

Constructing and interpreting appropriate tables and charts. Looking at 4 operations applied to integers, decimals and improper fractions.

Moving between numerical representations of decimals, fractions and percentage.

 

Calculating and solving problems with percentage, including percentage in real life context.

Solving equations and introducing simultaneous equations for higher ability

Deeper understanding of using fractions, decimals and percentage when solving problems and fluency converting between them. Focus on percentage change, increasing and decreasing amounts by a given percentage. Higher ability students will look at compound interest and repeated percentage change.
Solving more complex equations with unknown on both side and brackets, higher ability students will solve simultaneous equations.
Quality Mark Assessments

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Spring Term

(Feb-April)

Deepen understanding of working with directed numbers. Focus on working with negative numbers in algebra and solving equations. Develop fractional thinking in complex problems. Select appropriate strategies to solve problems.

Deepen understanding of working with fractions. Focus on  understanding addition and subtraction of fractions.

Looking at fractions in algebraic contexts for the highest ability

Understanding measures. Using formulae to calculate areas of shapes, calculate and solve problems with area and perimeters of 2D shapes. Extending to 3D shapes, volume and surface area. Area and circumference of circles moving onto area and and perimeter of sectors for the highest ability.

More complex problems with area and perimeter. Area of quadrilaterals and beginning to look at compound shapes. Area and circumference of circles. Apply this to find volume and surface area of cylinders. Higher ability students will study area and perimeter of sectors of circles.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

4 operations on directed numbers.

Forming and solving linear equations.

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Summer Term

(Feb-May)

Focus on increasing competence and accuracy in use of measuring equipment. Develop geometrical reasoning around angles and angle problems. Construct and interpret pie charts for further practice in drawing and measuring angles.

Understanding probability. Calculating probabilities with real life applications. 

Focus on mathematical concepts of representations. Use of coordinates and exploring the notion of gradients and intercepts.

Increasing complex probability problems, including relative frequency. Venn diagrams and the use of Venn diagrams to solve problems. Higher ability students will, study dependent probability.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Summer Term

(May-July)

Focus on reasoning with numbers. Extend mental strategies to simplify complex calculations and use known facts to find other facts. Extend work with number facts to algebraic facts, study probability and associated problems. Forming and testing conjecture.

Understanding the geometry in transformational geometry. 

Exploring symmetry

Describing transformations on a coordinate grid.

Introducing vectors

Transform shapes and describe fully how shapes have been transformed. Combinations of transformations.
Enlargements with fractional scale factors.
Understanding vectors notation and what it represents. Higher ability students will learn how to calculate with vectors.
Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

QM assessment:

Comparing distributions, construct and interpret charts and graphs, calculating averages

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests


Year 7

Key Concepts

Good written methods, number skills and use of algebra in problems. Discovering the love of learning.

Quality Mark Assessments

Autumn Term

(Sep-Oct)

Exploring algebraic thinking. This unit looks at moving freely between numerical, algebraic, graphical and diagrammatic representations. Using algebra in different contexts including formulating mathematical concepts. Simplify and manipulate algebraic expressions to maintain equivalence.

Higher ability students will look at more complex algebraic manipulation.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Autumn Term

(Nov-Dec)

Consolidate understanding of number and the number system and place value. Move freely between different numerical representations (including fractions, decimals and percentage Gain a deep understanding of the links between different representations

Higher ability students will look at standard form and fractions above 1

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Spring Term

(Jan-Feb)

Building on formal methods of calculations in the context of interpreting and solving problems. Looking at problems in a variety of contexts including money, area and perimeter and charts and graphs.

Constructing and interpreting appropriate tables and charts. Looking at 4 operations applied to integers, decimals and improper fractions.

Quality Mark Assessments

Focused revision for half termly tests

Spring Term

(Feb-April)

Deepen understanding of working with directed numbers. Focus on working with negative numbers in algebra and solving equations. Develop fractional thinking in complex problems. Select appropriate strategies to solve problems.

Deepen understanding of working with fractions. Focus on  understanding addition and subtraction of fractions.

Looking at fractions in algebraic contexts for the highest ability

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

4 operations on directed numbers.

Forming and solving linear equations.

Summer Term

(Feb-May)

Focus on increasing competence and accuracy in use of measuring equipment. Develop geometrical reasoning around angles and angle problems. Construct and interpret pie charts for further practice in drawing and measuring angles.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Summer Term

(May-July)

Focus on reasoning with numbers. Extend mental strategies to simplify complex calculations and use known facts to find other facts. Extend work with number facts to algebraic facts, study probability and associated problems. Forming and testing conjecture.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests


Year 8

Key Concepts

Strategies to solve increasing complex problems

Quality Mark Assessments

Autumn Term

(Sep-Oct)

Focus on embedding and understanding number and algebra topics. Fluency in calculations and understanding the number system. 

Simplify and manipulate algebraic expressions to maintain equivalence.

Higher ability students will look at expanding double brackets.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Autumn Term

(Nov-Dec)

Geometric reasoning with angles and angle problems including problems with parallel lines.

Understanding and applying Pythagoras’ theorem. Problems around data, charts and graphs. Construct and interpret pie charts and scatter graphs.

Higher ability student will study Pythagoras’ theorem

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Spring Term

(Jan-Feb)

Moving between numerical representations of decimals, fractions and percentage.

 

Calculating and solving problems with percentage, including percentage in real life context.

Solving equations and introducing simultaneous equations for higher ability

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Spring Term

(Feb-April)

Understanding measures. Using formulae to calculate areas of shapes, calculate and solve problems with area and perimeters of 2D shapes. Extending to 3D shapes, volume and surface area. Area and circumference of circles moving onto area and and perimeter of sectors for the highest ability.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Summer Term

(Feb-May)

Understanding probability. Calculating probabilities with real life applications. 

Focus on mathematical concepts of representations. Use of coordinates and exploring the notion of gradients and intercepts.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Summer Term

(May-July)

Understanding the geometry in transformational geometry. 

Exploring symmetry

Describing transformations on a coordinate grid.

Introducing vectors

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Comparing distributions, construct and interpret charts and graphs, calculating averages


Year 9

Key Concepts

Building knowledge and understanding in the core topics.

Quality Mark Assessments

Autumn Term

(Sep-Oct)

Extending understanding of the number system with a focus of calculations with directed numbers and prime factorisation of numbers with our highest able students extending into calculations with standard form.
Students will then study more complex algebraic manipulation than previous years including expanding and factorising.
Higher ability students will extend their algebraic skills into expanding double brackets and factorising quadratics.
Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Autumn Term

(Nov-Dec)

Extending problems and increasing complexity of geometric reasoning involving angles. This could include angles in polygons or angles in parallel lines. Students will also study Pythagoras’ theorem with our highest ability students extending their knowledge into trigonometry.
Consolidate understanding of different types of charts and graphs and be able to interpret them correctly and see how they fit into the data handling cycle. Highest ability students will extend their knowledge into looking at cumulative frequency diagrams and comparing data sets.
Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

.

Spring Term

(Jan-Feb)

Deeper understanding of using fractions, decimals and percentage when solving problems and fluency converting between them. Focus on percentage change, increasing and decreasing amounts by a given percentage. Higher ability students will look at compound interest and repeated percentage change.
Solving more complex equations with unknown on both side and brackets, higher ability students will solve simultaneous equations.
Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Spring Term

(Feb-April)

More complex problems with area and perimeter. Area of quadrilaterals and beginning to look at compound shapes. Area and circumference of circles. Apply this to find volume and surface area of cylinders. Higher ability students will study area and perimeter of sectors of circles.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Summer Term

(Feb-May)

Increasing complex probability problems, including relative frequency. Venn diagrams and the use of Venn diagrams to solve problems. Higher ability students will, study dependent probability.

Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests

Summer Term

(May-July)

Transform shapes and describe fully how shapes have been transformed. Combinations of transformations.
Enlargements with fractional scale factors.
Understanding vectors notation and what it represents. Higher ability students will learn how to calculate with vectors.
Quality Mark Assessments

QM assessment:

Focused revision for half termly tests