It is important Mathematics learning is practical and visual, which encourages pupils to develop reasoning and make connections with their learning. Active learning, exploring, creating and thinking critically are important skills. We aim to make independent learners, who can select equipment they need to meet a challenge.
At Swanwick School and Sports College, we teach topics throughout the year in line with the National Curriculum expectations. We frequently revisit basic mathematical knowledge and concepts through our starter activities to embed learning. To equip our students for lifelong learning, we steer our learning towards ‘real-life maths’, which in turn develops functional skills and allows our students to make vital links between their learning and the wider environment. The plenary of a lesson will focus on problem-solving or reasoning, often based on a real-life context. Teaching in this particular style focuses heavily on students understanding mathematical vocabulary and being able to apply this in a range of contexts such as budgeting, shopping, timetables etc.
We strive for pupils to be resilient and show perseverance in their maths work. We support our students to develop the skills they need to tackle problems, by having a classroom culture where all students are developing a confidence to ‘have a go’ and one where questioning and deep thinking are valued.
Age appropriate qualifications that are achieved included SATs, OCR Entry Level examinations, Functional Skills assessments and GCSEs. Teachers of Mathematics in the school ensure that the students are fully prepared before entering any assessments.