The Gateway school delivers a full national curriculum-based Mathematics programme for key stages 3 and 4 in line with the National Curriculum. Our curriculum provides our learners with access to Entry Level, Functional Skills, and GCSE’s culminating in the examinations for those areas throughout key stage 3 and 4.

Our Mathematics curriculum is designed to enable students to:

• Develop and expand fluent knowledge, skills, and understanding of mathematical methods and concepts.
• Broaden their use of everyday/functional mathematics.
• Acquire, select, and apply mathematical techniques to solve problems.
• Enable learners to be accredited for mathematics on a cross curricular basis.
• Reason and justify mathematically, make deductions and draw considered conclusions.
• Comprehend, interpret, and communicate relevant mathematical information in a variety of formats, appropriate to the information and context given.

Key stage 3 prepares the learners for their destinations in key stage 4, and beyond, by making sure they are secure in fundamental mathematical operations and encourages learners to progress in the application of mathematics in everyday situations, in an enjoyable and challenging environment. Learners in year 7 will sit the Entry Level Mathematics qualification at either level 1, 2 or 3 as is appropriate, progressing onto either Entry Level Functional skills or Functional Skills level 1, based on individual progress. Providing our learners with the confidence and breadth of learning to enable them to progress into key stage 4 with as much ease as possible.

In addition to the teaching of timetabled Mathematics, learners in key stage 3 and key stage 4 receive further support, with 1-2-1 support and intervention to help boost basic Mathematics skills or prepare for exams. We supply the teaching of Mathematics for our Outreach programme both on and off site, as well as the ability to provide additional learning for our gifted and talented pupils.

During key stage 4 our learners are challenged to show progression in Functional Skills Mathematics, whilst maintaining and improving basic Mathematical skills. Key stage 4 will begin study for GCSE Mathematics at the end of year 11 and will focus on post 16 destinations. Functional Skills level 2 is a GCSE level 4 equivalent (old GCSE C grade) accepted by a wide range of colleges, universities, and employers. One of the benefits of taking the Functional Skills route, aside from the level of qualification attained, is the ability to sit the exam up to four times a year, giving our learners a greater chance to achieve. Tailoring our destinations in key stage 4 and beyond allows us to find the clearest path to the highest level of qualification and understanding available to the individual student