Maths Department

Curriculum Intent 

Mathematics is a creative, interconnected and inspiring world in which people from all cultures and backgrounds can share the common languages of number, algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability and discover the relationships between them. At the Academy of Saint Francis of Assisi we aim to inspire our students to make sense of the world around them by developing their ability to calculate, reason and solve problems. We recognise the importance of mathematics in modern society and its ability to organise, simplify and limit chaos.  Whilst mathematics is fascinating as an individually studied subject, mathematics is also an essential gateway to twenty first century advancements such as medicine, engineering, and programming.  

The maths curriculum builds upon knowledge taught in Key Stage 2 by aiming to connect previously learnt content to discover new mathematical concepts. For example, students’ knowledge of ratio, measures and angles is developed into concepts that include similar shapes and trigonometry. Knowledge is taught in small steps. We ensure we fill gaps prior learning by creating opportunities for students to become fluent in using and applying a concept whilst extending students problem solving and reasoning skills through a depth of higher-level thinking tasks.  

We believe that ‘mathematics is for everyone’ in our school and that everyone can be successful in this subject. We place no limit on the mathematical knowledge that students can obtain, holding and encouraging high aspirations for all our learners. We ensure we meet all learners’ requirements by adhering to individual SEND passports, planning lessons with extra support for students with English as an additional language such as visual aids and creating strong relationships with our students through mutual respect, individual communication and supportive feedback. We also ensure students have pictorial and concreate structures where required to fully understand the content being delivered.  

The Academy of Saint Francis of Assisi is proud of the diverse culture of our school community. The Mathematics Department aims to build upon this, creating opportunities to improve students’ cultural capital in local, national and international spaces outside what our students already know, such as understanding population density, understanding how to calculate income tax, discovering the golden ratio and finding geometry in Islamic art. These opportunities ensure all our students can access the subject but also see mathematics beyond the classroom. We intend to develop reading opportunities through our ‘reading in mathematics program’ and improve our understanding of mathematical words giving rise to the etymology of complex words.