Maths

All students have an inner-belief and ambition to fulfil their dreams and live a happy and successful life. 

Our students receive high quality teaching and learning of Maths content that builds in depth from previous years, ensuring they gain a true understanding of the key strands of Maths. As a department, we spend time stretching students and delving into topics to deepen understanding through application and deep thinking that develop learners’ confidence. We link content to real-life uses and engage with organisations, such as UKMT and universities, to both raise aspirations for studying Maths into Further and Higher Education, and improve student awareness of careers requiring mathematical knowledge and skill. 

All students leave our academy with first-rate qualifications: 

A first-rate Maths qualification is imperative for students to be successful after they leave Kingswood Academy. Our curriculum has a spiral approach with each year building on the last, allowing students to achieve exceptional grades and compete nationally. We baseline students every lesson using mini-whiteboards to ensure students access work that is ambitious and accelerates their progress. As a department, we also track student progress through their schemes of learning every week, ensuring all student needs are met. We intervene with students to prevent them from underperforming by using question level analysis which informs planning, homework and intervention that ensure students meet, if not exceed, their academic potential. 

All students develop exceptional character: 

We ensure that the curriculum develops resilience and determination by baselining students at the beginning of every lesson, ensuring that we are always stretching them from their starting point. We encourage a growth mind-set in all students by creating a culture in which mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, which allow us to provide diagnostic feedback. Lessons are planned to ensure that application, problem solving and deep thinking are built in. Students are encouraged to form their own mathematical arguments through high quality classroom discussion. We teach students that the skills they learn and develop in Maths will support them in the wider world for the rest of their life, even if they do not intend to pursue a mathematical-based career. 

All students leave our academy with high levels of cultural and global awareness:

As a Maths department, we build in enrichment activities that complement our curriculum, highlighting both the real-life links to the subject but also opening students’ eyes to how Maths can be used in later life. We run enrichment events throughout the academic year both internally and with external providers such as UKMT and the Advanced Maths Support Programme. Our in-house activities include chess club, young enterprise, Kahoot club and Progress Points. These encourage students to engage with students from different year groups and backgrounds but with a common focus of Maths. 

All students leave with an array of positive memories that last for a lifetime:

Through high quality planning and delivery, we engage students by ensuring they experience success and encouraging enthusiastic learning. As a department we run Maths enrichment opportunities that are very popular with pupils. We partake in national competitions with UKMT and AMSP which allow students to compete against other local schools but also on a national scale at events such as the Maths Feast and Junior Maths Challenge. We also run a Progress Points competition within year groups that enables students to competitively engage in revision throughout the year. Additionally, Year 11 attend revision residentials where they work to prepare for upcoming exams and also create some unforgettable memories together. All year round, we engage students through our social media platform where we celebrate students’ achievements. These positive experiences with Maths enable students to see the exciting elements of the subject and encourage great engagement in our curriculum.