The Mathematics Curriculum at Westfield Academy

Our department's philosophy is that "Mathematics is a universal language, we use it to explore and explain the world around us through numbers, symbols, diagrams and words".

What do students learn in Maths?

In Key Stage 3, our core curriculum has a good balance between knowledge and skills. It also goes beyond basic national curriculum requirements, emphasising the importance of a creative, student-centred curriculum which is suited to the context of our school community. Our curriculum is inclusive, and we scaffold to allow our students to be successful. Topics, concepts and curriculum connections help all learners to see the connections between all topics in Maths, as well as careers and other subjects. We believe that correcting mistakes is the most sustainable pathway to learning this way; we reduce the fear of trying.

What skills do students acquire?

Our extracurricular activities present students with the opportunity to shine in practical programmes outside the normal curriculum, build their confidence, improve their learning skills and raise their own expectations of what they can achieve. This allows students of all abilities to engage with challenges, enhance a wide range of skills, make real progress in developing their skills and improve their academic performance at school. Our trips link curriculum learning to career development and enable students to encounter further and higher education opportunities.

In KS4, students will appreciate that studying mathematics will give them the knowledge to approach scientific problems. It will also help to build the skills to manage everyday situations such as planning projects, managing budgets and finances. Students are examined in the Pearson Edexcel GCSE in Mathematics and study the following topics;

• Statistics and Probability
• Number and Algebra
• Problem-Solving
• Geometry and Measures

Mathematics in the sixth form 

Our curriculum intent is to have an ambitious and inclusive curriculum that empowers our students to become life-long learners and successful global citizens.

Students will extend their learning from KS4 to A Level by exploring applications of mathematics via the route of Statistics and Mechanics alongside Pure Mathematics. Statistics is the collection and analysis of data, using this to make predictions of future events. Mechanics is the analysis of the physical world around us, including the study of forces and motion. The course is highly challenging and interesting, honing students’ ability to think logically and analytically as well as problem solve. Through a well-sequenced curriculum, we intend to embed knowledge and skills that challenge all learners.

Our curriculum is designed to cultivate a rich mathematical vocabulary, enabling our students to think and write like a mathematician and students are taught disciplinary literacy in an explicit and direct manner.

The course emphasises how mathematical ideas are interconnected and how mathematics can be applied to model situations using algebra, to help make sense of data, to understand the physical world, and to solve problems in a variety of real-life contexts. It prepares students for further study and employment in a wide range of disciplines involving the use of mathematics, such as economics, computing and science.

Our Curriculum Maps outline our curriculum design and the development of knowledge and skills in Years 12 and 13. The curriculum is adapted to support and challenge students with different starting points, whilst remaining ambitious for all. Students are examined on the Edexcel Specification in A Level Mathematics.

Students have access to a wide range of different careers. Such as, Engineering, Computer Science, Accountancy, Medicine, Dentistry, Finance, Architecture, Psychology, Construction and Teaching.