Mathematics

Curriculum Intent

Mathematics is an important creative discipline that helps us to understand and change the world. We want all pupils at Alder Grange School to experience the beauty, power and enjoyment of mathematics and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject with a clear understanding.

At Alder Grange School,we place great emphasis on installing a growth mindset in our learners, where pupils feel at ease in taking risks. Mistakes are expected and respected; excellence is nurtured as we drive to deepen understanding of mathematics. We believe in challenges for all our pupils and promoting independence and love of learning in conjunction with the National Curriculum for Mathematics. Our motto is ‘enjoy and achieve the best you can’.

One of our focuses is to develop the confidence of our young mathematicians and the awareness of the academic and practical significance of mathematics in real life, dispelling any negative perception associated with the complexities that mathematics can bring. 

Our curriculum intent aims to ensure that all pupils at Alder Grange are able to be:

Access an inclusive broad range of subjects – . We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to cover a wide range of mathematics knowledge with an emphasis on investigation, curiosity, numeracy fluency, application of mathematics in real life situations, problem solving skills and the effective use of ICT in maths.

Discover and develop their knowledge and passions – Lifelong mathematicians- we want our students to think like mathematicians, not just DO the math. We believe that during the learning experience students should ; explore, wonder, question, conjecture, experiment and make theories in order to guide their own journey in life

be logical thinkers and reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language

become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics – through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.

Be prepared for the future – Our curriculum prepares pupils to achieve their academic goals, alongside developing the fundamental mathematical skills to allow them to succeed in the next stage of their education, training or career path. Opportunities are given to GCSE pupils to pursue post – 16 options, including A- level Mathematics, A-level further mathematics. be able problem solvers by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios

Be good citizens – Through the mastery approach and diverse set of contexts, the mathematics department aims to develop responsible citizens with an awareness of the world around them.  We provide opportunities for pupils to develop transferable mathematical skills which also aid their progress across the STEM and other curriculum areas.

The curriculum is intended to promote and value equally, the following cross-curricular themes:

  • Culture & the Arts
  • STEM & Digital technology
  • Language Mastery
  • Numeracy
  • Reasoning
  • Wellbeing – both physical, mental and social
  • Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness & Citizenship
  • Mastery
  • Critical thinking
  • Independent learning skills
  • Extra curricular projects
  • Inclusion

Mathematics

Curriculum Team

Curriculum Leader: Mr E Deffo

Assistant Curriculum Leaders: Mr P Butterworth  KS5 | Mr J Carr KS4 | Miss S Jenkins KS3

Subject Teachers:

Miss J Collins | Miss M Gibbons | Mrs J Griffiths (KS5 Teacher) – Headteacher | Mrs K Lawrence | Miss A Thompson

For further information or to discuss any subject within the department, at any key stage, get in touch via email: edeffo@aldergrange.lancs.sch.uk

Careers / Future Options

There are a massive range of future study and careers options available following study of this subject.

This subject is compulsory at K3/4 and is available at A Level in our Sixth Form ‘ag6’.

The learning and skills developed in KS5 lessons support further studying this subject at university.

If you enjoy Maths as a subject you may want to consider the following career paths

  • Actuarial analyst
  • Actuary
  • Astronomer
  • Banking
  • Chartered / certified accountant
  • Data analyst
  • Data scientist
  • Engineering
  • Financial manager
  • Financial trader
  • Investment analyst
  • Research scientist (maths)
  • Secondary school teacher
  • Software engineer
  • Statistician
  • Plus many more…
Business Skills

I want to start my own business

Coding is the future

Coding is the future. I love learning to code. I want to be a games designer when I am older.