2026-27 Curriculum Overview

At Southfield, our Maths curriculum helps every student to Be Ready for what comes next. Our scheme of learning is carefully sequenced, so that every topic builds on what students have already learned and prepares them for what follows. Students learn to Be Responsible for their own progress: they practise independently, reflect on their mistakes and take ownership of closing their own gaps.

We ask students to Be Respectful in how they work, valuing precision and clear reasoning, and respecting the ideas of others when they explain and challenge them. We show we are Proud to be Southfield by celebrating the effort behind every success, from the first confident answer to the hardest problem finally solved, because getting stuck and getting through it is where mathematicians are made.

 

Qualifications

Key stage

Course

Specification

Key Stage 4

AQA GCSE Mathematics (8300)

AQA GCSE Mathematics specification

AQA GCSE Statistics (8382)

AQA GCSE Statistics specification

AQA Level 2 Certificate in Further Mathematics (8365)

AQA Level 2 Further Mathematics specification

Key Stage 5

AQA A Level Mathematics (7357)

AQA A Level Mathematics specification

 

Curriculum by Year

Term

Key topics and skills

Year 7

Term 1

·         Calculating with integers and decimals

·         Perimeter, area and units of measure

·         Algebra: notation, expressions and substitution

·         Solving equations and sequences

·         Ratio and sharing amounts

Term 2

·         Place value, ordering and rounding

·         Calculating with negative numbers

·         Order of operations and simplifying expressions

·         Time

·         Line and shape properties, including symmetry

Term 3

·         Factors and multiples (HCF and LCM)

·         Prime numbers and prime factors

·         Perimeter

·         Area

·         Coordinates and shapes

Term 4

·         Equivalent fractions and simplifying

·         Ordering fractions and mixed numbers

·         Adding and subtracting fractions

·         Expanding single brackets

·         Factorising into one bracket

Term 5

·         Types of angle, and measuring and drawing angles

·         Finding unknown angles

·         Averages and range

·         Tables, charts and collecting data

·         Proportion word problems

Term 6

·         Multiplying fractions and mixed numbers

·         Dividing fractions and mixed numbers

·         Fractions, decimals and percentages

·         Fractions of amounts

·         Theoretical probability

Year 8

Term 1

·         Percentages of amounts

·         Percentage change

·         Calculating with money

·         Index laws

·         Solving equations

Term 2

·         Term-to-term rules

·         Position-to-term rules

·         Writing and simplifying ratios

·         Sharing amounts in a given ratio

·         Scale diagrams

Term 3

·         Significant figures and estimating

·         Coordinates and midpoints

·         Area of parallelograms and trapeziums

·         Area and circumference of circles

·         Standard form

Term 4

·         Venn diagrams

·         HCF and LCM using prime factors

·         Properties and nets of 3D shapes

·         Translation

·         Reflection

Term 5

·         Surface area

·         Volume

·         Finding unknown angles

·         Plotting graphs and finding equations of straight lines

·         Drawing and interpreting statistical diagrams

Term 6

·         Linear inequalities

·         Fractions review

·         Algebraic fractions

·         Expanding double brackets

·         Fractions and recurring decimals

Year 9

Term 1

·         Index laws

·         Expanding brackets and factorising

·         Inequalities

·         Quadratics and non-linear graphs

·         Speed and compound units

Term 2

·         Pythagoras' theorem

·         Proving a triangle is right-angled

·         Trigonometry: sine, cosine and tangent

·         Calculating lengths and angles using trigonometry

·         Choosing between Pythagoras and trigonometry

Term 3

·         Powers, roots and indices

·         Decimals and rounding

·         HCF and LCM

·         Positive and negative numbers

·         Fractions

Term 4

·         Percentages

·         Perimeter

·         Area

·         Volume

·         Prisms

Term 5

·         Representing data

·         Interpreting data

·         Algebra: the basics

·         Expressions and substitution into formulae

·         Setting up and solving equations

Term 6

·         Solving equations

·         Inequalities

·         Sequences

·         Polygons

·         Angles and parallel lines

Year 10 Higher

Term 1

·         Statistics and sampling

·         Cumulative frequency and box plots

·         Histograms

·         Averages from lists and grouped data

·         Range and interquartile range

Term 2

·         Pythagoras and trigonometry

·         Perimeter and area of shapes

·         Volume of prisms

·         Circles, cylinders, spheres and cones

·         Accuracy and bounds

Term 3

·         Real-life graphs

·         Linear graphs

·         Coordinate geometry

·         Quadratic graphs

·         Cubic and other graphs

Term 4

·         Solving quadratics

·         Simultaneous equations

·         Translation and reflection

·         Rotation

·         Enlargement

Term 5

·         Constructions

·         Loci

·         Bearings

·         Probability

·         Ratio and proportion

Term 6

·         Direct proportion

·         Inverse proportion

·         Multiplicative reasoning

·         Best value and the unitary method

·         Compound measures

Year 10 Foundation

Term 1

·         Tables, charts and pie charts

·         Sampling

·         Averages and range

·         Summarising data

·         Pythagoras and trigonometry

Term 2

·         Perimeter

·         Area

·         Volume

·         Circles and cylinders

·         Cones and spheres

Term 3

·         Real-life graphs

·         Distance-time graphs

·         Linear graphs

·         Gradient and intercept

·         Midpoints and parallel lines

Term 4

·         Quadratic equations

·         Quadratic graphs

·         Translation and reflection

·         Rotation

·         Enlargement

Term 5

·         Plans and elevations

·         Constructions

·         Loci

·         Probability and sample spaces

·         Relative frequency and expected outcomes

Term 6

·         Ratio

·         Direct and inverse proportion

·         Multiplicative reasoning

·         Best value

·         Compound measures

Year 11 Higher

Term 1

·         Direct and inverse proportion

·         Multiplicative reasoning

·         Similarity

·         Congruency

·         Circle theorems

Term 2

·         Expanding more than two brackets

·         Sketching graphs of circles, cubics and quadratics

·         Changing the subject of formulae

·         Algebraic fractions and rationalising surds

·         Algebraic proof

Term 3

·         Sine rule

·         Cosine rule

·         3D trigonometry

·         Vectors

·         Proof using vectors

Term 4

·         Reciprocal graphs

·         Exponential graphs

·         Gradient and area under graphs

·         Probability distributions

·         Collecting data

Term 5

·         Targeted revision of individual gaps

·         Problem-solving and reasoning questions

·         Past paper practice

·         Exam technique

·         GCSE examinations

Term 6

 

Year 11 Foundation

Term 1

·         More fractions and reciprocals

·         Standard form, zero and negative indices

·         Multiplicative reasoning

·         Similarity and congruency

·         Rearranging equations, simultaneous equations and proof

Term 2

·         Cubic graphs

·         Reciprocal graphs

·         Vectors

·         Collecting data

·         Targeted revision of individual gaps

Terms 3–4

·         Targeted revision of individual gaps

·         Problem-solving and reasoning questions

·         Past paper practice

·         Exam technique

·         Past paper practice under exam conditions

Term 5

·         Targeted revision of individual gaps

·         Problem-solving and reasoning questions

·         Past paper practice

·         Exam technique

·         GCSE examinations

Term 6

 

Year 12

Term 1

·         Algebra: proof, indices, surds and quadratic functions

·         Simultaneous equations, lines, circles and inequalities

·         Graphs and transformations

·         Algebraic fractions, polynomial division and the factor theorem

·         Binomial expansion

Term 2

·         Trigonometry

·         Probability

·         Statistical distributions

·         Vectors

·         Differentiation

Term 3

·         Constant acceleration

·         Forces and motion

·         Modelling with differentiation

·         Integration

·         Representing and interpreting data

Term 4

·         Hypothesis testing

·         Variable acceleration

·         Sampling, averages, standard deviation and variance

·         Exponential graphs and modelling

·         Logarithms and natural logarithms

Term 5

·         Arithmetic sequences and series

·         Geometric sequences and series

·         Functions and graphs: modulus, composite and inverse functions

·         Proof by contradiction, partial fractions and algebraic division

·         Radians

Term 6

·         Combining transformations and solving modulus problems

·         Secant, cosecant and cotangent

·         Trigonometric identities and inverse trigonometric functions

·         Large data set project

·         Revision for mock examinations

Year 13

Term 1

·         Binomial expansion, including partial fractions

·         Parametric equations

·         Addition and double angle formulae

·         Solving and proving trigonometric identities, and modelling

·         Regression, correlation and hypothesis testing

Term 2

·         Vectors in 3D

·         Differentiating trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions

·         Chain, product and quotient rules

·         Parametric and implicit differentiation and rates of change

·         Revision for mock examinations

Term 3

·         Moments and equilibrium

·         Forces, friction and inclined planes

·         Numerical methods

·         Integrating standard functions and the reverse chain rule

·         Integration by substitution, by parts and using partial fractions

Term 4

·         Projectiles

·         Applications of forces

·         Kinematics

·         Finding areas and the trapezium rule

·         Differential equations

Term 5

·         Conditional probability

·         The normal distribution

·         Hypothesis testing with the normal distribution

·         Targeted revision of individual gaps

·         A Level examinations

Term 6

 

 

Careers

Mathematics underpins science, technology, finance and much of everyday life, and mathematical skills are in high demand from employers.

Transferable skills

Careers linked to the subject

·         Logical reasoning and problem-solving

·         Numeracy and handling data

·         Precision and attention to detail

·         Resilience when tackling difficult problems

·         Explaining and justifying reasoning clearly

·         Modelling real-world situations

·         Engineer

·         Accountant or actuary

·         Data scientist or statistician

·         Software developer

·         Financial analyst

·         Teacher

·         Architect

·         Operational researcher