Curriculum vision:

Our vision is to deliver a challenging and engaging maths curriculum that builds confident, critical thinkers with strong numerical fluency. We equip students with financial skills, deep conceptual understanding, and versatile problem-solving strategies for use across subjects and real-life situations.

How is Maths taught at SJBC?

At our school, maths is taught through clear, structured lessons that progress at a pace suited to each class. From Year 7 a spiral curriculum revisits topics with increasing complexity to reinforce understanding and close gaps. Lessons are taught in 1–2 week blocks, ending with feedback or assessment to track progress. We focus on showing workings, exploring methods, and discussing reasoning to deepen understanding. Mini whiteboards support active participation and real-time checks. Real-life applications and career links are embedded to show the relevance of maths. Students are encouraged to self-assess, reflect, and practise independently. Key Stage 3 (KS3) students have four lessons weekly, increasing to five at Key Stage 4 (KS4).

What homework will students do in Maths?

Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9):

• Students are set Sparx Maths online homework once a week.
• Student are to complete at least 80% of the questions and spend a minimum of 50 minutes on the work.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11):

• Homework alternates weekly between two formats:
  • Sparx fr Independent Learning (students cmplete targeted practice on their own areas of need).
  • Crbett 5-a-day booklet, where teachers will set a minimum number f pages t be completed.

Key Stage 5 (Years 12–13):

Pupils are expected to complete at least 6 hours a week of homework. This will comprise of a mix of activities which could include independent learning on UpLearn, completion of lesson exercise tasks, preparation for low stakes tests and completion of exam papers.

This structure is designed to give students a balance of guided practice and independent revision, while building consistency in their maths learning at home.

How are wider skills – e.g. literacy, oracy, numeracy and independent research – delivered through Maths?

In maths lessons, pupils develop skills beyond numbers, including confident use of correct mathematical language through tools like the Frayer Model and speaking in full sentences. Teachers encourage spoken responses to build confidence and focus on active listening to understand diverse problem-solving methods.

Discussing ideas with peers enhances clear communication. Pupils are guided to become independent learners by reflecting on their problem-solving and explaining their thinking accurately. Through investigations and problem-solving activities, they tackle complex, multi-step tasks and apply maths to real-life word problems.