Curriculum
Intent:
At Rainford High School the intent of the Maths curriculum is to ensure that all students receive a high-quality mathematical education which develops their interest in and understanding of the importance, worth and beauty of Mathematics. The curriculum will develop students’ fluency in choosing and applying appropriate mathematical processes and knowledge through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time. Our curriculum enables students to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language. The curriculum will allow students to solve 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. We aim to allow all students to develop essential life skills and career aspirations that will allow for outstanding Personal Development and ensure they make a significant contribution to whole-school improvement and British / Global society.
Implementation:
We implement our curriculum through a five year programme of study with the possibility of a further two years study in Rainford College. At KS3 our students follow a curriculum based on the White Rose Maths curriculum which follows the principles of Mastery. Through intelligent practice, encouraging mathematical debate and open-ended activities which focus on methods, this curriculum aims to develop a deep understanding of the concepts taught. They start the GCSE course in Year 10. Maths and Further Maths are popular choices at A Level where students continue to be supported to achieve the best possible outcomes. Throughout the curriculum a thorough and detailed Scheme of Learning with recommended resources supports teachers to deliver lessons with rich and varied activities. Students are given the opportunity to develop fluency in performing key mathematical skills so they become second nature. Students are given opportunities to think logically and flexibly to develop sound mathematical arguments. Students’ ability to solve problems is nurtured during lessons through exposure to a variety of strategies and modelling of good practice. Assessment is used as a vehicle for students to reflect on their progress and identify areas that require further development. Students are set by ability so that every student can be challenged appropriately according to their starting points. Aspects of the curriculum delivery are non-negotiable and consistent so that all students at Rainford have a common experience in Maths and everyone is challenged to succeed. We offer a challenging curriculum and enrichment activities that allow all students a clear progression pathway between KS3-5 and prepare them effectively for Post-18 career choices – in line with whole school CEIAG strategy.
Impact:
We want to ensure that all students make outstanding progress relative to their starting points and that this progress is reflected in their KS4 and KS5 outcomes. The skills and knowledge they develop in Maths will support their studies in other curriculum areas to help them succeed. All students progress to the next stage of their education with the Personal Development, Life-Skills and Careers Guidance that make them employable within a global economy and will allow them to make a significant contribution to British and Global society; in line with whole school Personal Development & CEIAG strategies and whole-school ethos. Once our Alumni students have embarked on University or Apprenticeship courses we want them to realise that they have gained a ‘head start’ in comparison to their peers and look back with great pride on their experiences within Maths at Rainford High.
Possible careers and opportunities
The skills developed in Maths support other subjects across the curriculum and can be applied to a wide range of careers. You will develop numeracy skills, reasoning, problem solving, logical thinking, analytical skills and the ability to perform complex tasks with a high level of accuracy. Studying Maths can lead to careers in Engineering, Medicine, Science, Technology, Business, Computing and Teaching amongst others.
Facilities
The Maths Department is located in the West Block of the school and has nine classrooms. Each classroom contains an interactive whiteboard and a visualiser to enhance the learning experience for our students. There is a range textbooks available and online learning platforms are also available to assist students in completing and developing the quality of their work.
Support
We subscribe to the online learning platform drfrostmaths.com which every student is able to access to support their learning. Intervention sessions are also arranged for selected students throughout the year.
Extra-Curricular
Selected students can compete in the UK Junior, Intermediate and Senior Maths Challenges, national competitions to recognise achievement in Maths.
To download subject overviews please follow the link/s below: