“But in my opinion, all things in nature occur mathematically.” René Descartes.

Mathematics is more than a series of numbers and letters.  Mathematics is the science that deals with the logic of shape, quantity and arrangement. Mathematics is all around us, in everything we do. It is the building block for everything in our daily lives, including tech, architecture (ancient and modern), art, money, engineering, and even sports.  Through the study of mathematics we learn to think and ask ‘what if..’, we develop processes that enable us to move forward in whichever field we may wish.

Mathematics at St Peter’s is taught by a team of specialist teachers. Our aim is simply to develop every student into the best mathematician they can possibly be. We want our students to be fluent in their mathematical knowledge and be able to apply it in different contexts, all the while building an understanding of how and why the mathematics that they are learning works. The school has an excellent mathematical record in preparing students for further study post-16 study and as such, all students are encouraged to develop their mathematics so that doors will remain open to them for whichever future path they wish to pursue.

CURRICULUM AIMS

We use a variety of approaches and resources in our teaching in order to develop a wider understanding and appreciation of mathematics. We aim to develop mathematicians who can problem solve and we endeavour to make mathematics interesting and enjoyable for all students.  Students are encouraged to participate in the UK Maths Challenges, master classes at Exeter University and various other events, which generate mathematical interest and enthusiasm.

The mathematics curriculum at St Peter’s has a simple aim: to develop every student, from their first lesson at St Peter’s, into the best mathematician they can possibly be. We believe mathematical intelligence is expandable, and that every child can learn mathematics, given the appropriate learning experiences within and beyond the classroom. We have high expectations and believe every student is entitled to master key mathematical concepts. We ensure students receive the support and challenge they require in order to acheive this.

Our curriculum has been developed to meet the needs of St Peter’s students and has three key principles:
 

Deep Understanding 

Our practice at Key stage 3 is specially structured to build on subject knowledge at key stage 2 and the same content is delivered to all pupils.  This practice embeds the importance of deep understanding and making the links that help pupils to retain and apply this knowledge moving forward.  
 

Mathematical thinking 

We believe that it is essential for students to develop mathematical thinking in and out of the classroom in order to fully master mathematical concepts. We want students to have experiences that enable them to think like a mathematician by exploring, questioning, experimenting and making conjectures that lead to a deeper understanding of concepts and the links between the different areas of maths.
 

Mathematical Language 

We believe that students should be encouraged to use mathematical language throughout their learning to deepen their understanding of concepts.  The way students speak and write about mathematics has been shown to have an impact on their success in mathematics. We therefore think very carefully about the sequence, structure and approach to introducing and reinforcing mathematical vocabulary throughout maths lessons, so students have the opportunity to work with word problems from the beginning of their learning.

GOING BEYOND...

For students who really enjoy maths we provide the opportunity for further study as part of the GCSE options offered at St Peter’s. We currently have two options: GSCE statistics and, for the most able, GCSE statistics and FSMQ combined. FSMQ is a level 3 qualification and comprises of some topics taught in the first year of A -level maths.