Curriculum leaders

Ms H Watson and Ms T Valibhai 

GCSE Statistics

The purpose of the AGFS mathematics & statistics curriculum is:

• To promote ambition by providing a rigorous and far-reaching mathematics education that brings all the opportunities of a great education: access to further study and careers.
• To develop growth by giving scholars the opportunity to experience ‘controlled failure’ and develop resilience and independence.
• To encourage fellowship by giving scholars the knowledge to think critically about the world and acknowledge different perspectives.
• To cultivate scholarship by promoting a love of knowledge for its own sake, to develop a pursuit of mastery in each academic discipline. This is further developed through UKMT, STEAM enrichment and trips.

The mathematics power standards are:

1. Consolidate their numerical and mathematical capability from key stage 2
2. Use and apply standard techniques (AO1)
3. Reason, interpret and communicate mathematically (AO2)
4. Solve problems within mathematics and in other contexts (AO3)

The statistics power standards are:                                                

1. To know and apply statistical terminology to any context.
2. To know and apply standard statistical techniques to collect and represent information.
3. To be able to calculate summary statistics and probabilities.
4. To interpret statistical information and results in context and reason statistically to draw conclusions.
5. To assess the appropriateness of statistical methodologies and the conclusions drawn from them.

Mathematics:

Year 7:

Module 1: Properties of integers, Fractions, Directed numbers

Module 2: Factors, Rounding, Expanding, Factorising and Solving, Ratio

Module 3: Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Angles, Averages and the range

Year 8:

Module 1: LCM/HCF, Fractions, Standard Form

Module 2: Changing the subject, Linear inequalities, Sequences, Percentage, Speed, Distance, Time

Module 3: Circles, 3D shapes, Transformations, Probability, Representing data

Year 9:

Module 1: Index Laws, Linear graphs

Module 2: Quadratics, Percentages (calculator), Proportion, Constructions, Plans and Elevations, Pythagoras and Trigonometry

Module 3: Independent and Dependent events, Averages, Representing data

Year 10F:

Module 1: BIDMAS, Decimals, Fractions

Module 2: Solving, Changing the subject, Sequences, Compound Units, Linear Graphs, Simultaneous Equations

Module 3: Ratio, Percentage, Perimeter, Area, Volume, Loci

Year 10H:

Module 1: Error Intervals, Surds, Bounds, Systematic Listing

Module 2: Quadratics, Algebraic Fractions, Functions, Perpendicular Lines, Rates of Change

Module 3: Geometry of non-right angled Triangles, Vectors

Year 11F:

Module 1: Pythagoras and Trigonometry, Transformations, Vectors, Independent events, Venn Diagrams

Module 2: Averages, Representing Data, Bespoke teaching and revision.

Module 3: Revision and public examinations

Year 11H:

Module 1: Histograms, Cumulative Frequency and Box plots, Dependent events and Venn diagrams

Module 2: Algebraic Proportion, Complex Ratio, Bespoke teaching and revision.

Module 3: Revision and public examinations

Statistics:

Year 10:

Module 1: Collecting and Describing Data

Module 2: Representing Data

Module 3: Time Series and Correlation

Year 11:

Module 1: Summary Statistics, Probabilities and Distributions 

Module 2: Bespoke teaching and revision.

Module 3: Revision and public examinations

Recommended websites/ online platforms:

• Times Tables Rockstars
• Sparx Maths
• https://revisionmaths.com/
• https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk/gcse.html
• https://www.statsacademy.co.uk/

Recommended activities to complete with your child:

• Garage and Studio Tasks on Times Tables Rockstars
• Sparx Maths based on content taught in lesson
• https://tinyurl.com/tenminutemathstests

Scholars receive verbal, self and peer feedback every lesson through:

• Whole class feedback on common misconceptions in the read now, recall now activities and during daily review.
• Responses to whole class checking for understanding activities, such as hand signal responses, ‘heads down’ and mini whiteboard tasks.
• Teacher intentional monitoring during deliberate practice activities.

Scholars are expected to respond in the moment to this feedback to show they can correct errors and improve their knowledge and understanding.

Scholars receive written teacher feedback after each checkpoint. Scholars complete checkpoint tasks independently so teachers can review what they know and can do. Checkpoints in mathematics consist of:

• Section A: Knowledge check questions assessing core knowledge
• Section B: Exam style questions covering the power standards

Written feedback from checkpoints will consist of:

• A score for section A and section B.
• Celebration of what has gone well.
• Identification of a high leverage target.

Scholars will complete a refinement task to show their understanding of the target and to demonstrate their capacity to improve their work. This could be achieved through redrafting a section of their work or attempting a similar task.

Success in Mathematics can lead to careers in:

• Accountancy
• Finance
• Architecture 
• Data Science 
• Medicine
• Research
• Aerospace Engineering

In 2017, Sir Adrian Smith published a review of post-16 mathematics education for the government. Some key quotes from the report can be found below:

• ‘Adults with basic numeracy skills earn higher wages and are more likely to be in employment than those who fail to master these skills.’
• ‘Individuals who achieve five or more good GCSEs (including English and mathematics) as their highest qualification have a lifetime productivity gain worth around £100,000 compared to those with below level 2 or no qualifications.’
• ‘Around half of individuals in jobs where mathematical sciences qualifications are essential were found to have salaries of £29,000 or more, compared with only 19 per cent of the UK workforce overall.’
• ‘In the UK, around seven in ten employees report that quantitative skills are essential or important to carry out their work. … In 2012, around 20 per cent of young people in the UK did not have basic skills.’

Through the study of mathematics, scholars will be exposed to a range of culturally enriching knowledge and experiences. Our scholars gain:

• basic numeracy for real world application.
• the ability to interpret and evaluate credibility of statistical diagrams in real life.
• the ability to represent data convincingly.
• financial understanding for real world application.
• the ability to evaluate credibility of financial offers.
• spatial understanding for creative/technical/physical industries.
• graphical understanding complementary to Science and Geography curriculum, providing future opportunities in both fields.

Mathematics's contribution to the enrichment programme:

• Maths Challenge Club
• Further Maths Club

Mathematics and statistics's contribution to Drop Down Days and the trips and visits programme:

• Dedicated STEAM days within school
• Royal Greenwich Observatory trip
• Science Museum Trip
• Maths Challenge Trip with Ark schools