At Pendle Community High School and College, the Mathematics curriculum covers the key areas of Number, Geometry, Measurement and Statistics and is designed to develop pupils’ abilities in mathematics, reasoning and problem solving and to recognise its place in everyday life. Number and its application are integral to all strands and is identified throughout the curriculum.

At Pendle Community High School and College, mathematical reasoning and problem opportunities are interwoven throughout the curriculum so that the students can use and apply their existing skills to other situations.

A high-quality mathematics education provides a foundation for understanding the world, develops the ability to reason mathematically, and have an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.  

A sound knowledge of functional mathematics will support pupils in their future pathways and preparation for a more independent life e.g. organising daily routines, transport timetables, use of money and different methods of payment, accuracy of weighing and measuring in cooking etc.

Mathematics at Pendle Community High School covers the 4 strands of Number, Geometry, Measurement and Statistics throughout the year but planned so that pupils can achieve depth and progression in their learning.   

Existing knowledge is checked prior to the commencement of each topic ensuring that teaching is planned accordingly from the pupils’ starting points identified through the assessment system and lessons are differentiated to ensure there is appropriate challenge for all learners. 

Mathematics is delivered using a spiral curriculum approach, where learning is spread out over time and content is revisited repeatedly over the year and Key Stages. The use of number in all strands is central to the mathematics curriculum. Topics are encountered with increasing complexity according to the learner’s cognitive ability and new learning is built upon previous learning as highlighted in the schemes of learning which provide continuity, pace and challenge. 

At Pendle Community High School and College, mathematical reasoning and problem opportunities are interwoven throughout the curriculum so that the students have regular opportunities to apply their existing skills to other situations.

Independent learners are encouraged to be inquisitive, ask questions and work independently. The curriculum is designed to provide challenge and all activities will be appropriately matched for individual learning, as well as encouraging problem solving, mathematical reasoning and the discovery of patterns and sequences in the mathematical world. 

Supported and experiential learners follow a thematic approach, where many areas of the curriculum are connected and integrated within a theme.  These classes work in smaller groups whose learning is met primarily through experiences and activities which are multi-sensory and stimulate learning through kinaesthetic approaches and are supported through structure and routines. This curriculum is used to enhance early learning and development in pupils across school who present with sensory issues and those who learn best via a highly experiential, multi-sensory approach.  

Mathematics is well resourced and specific resources are mapped to specific groups and topics to support effective teaching and learning. Concrete manipulatives and pictorial representations are used to support conceptual understanding and to make links across topics.    

As a pupil progresses through the school, they develop an understanding and fluency in mathematics. Skills and knowledge taught in Mathematics are transferable and support pupils to do more and engage more in other curriculum areas. Teachers have high expectations and evidence of this is demonstrated in progress data and KS4 and KS5 accreditation results. Impact is also recognised in pupils’ increased confidence and accuracy in answering questions, application of knowledge to solve a range of increasingly complex problems, use of correct mathematical vocabulary and ability to recognise connections in both a cross curricular and real-life context.  

Pupils will have also learnt about careers and related work opportunities that are accessible for them in the local and wider community. This is enhanced by educational visits which provide opportunities for further relevant and contextualised learning.