Building Skills and Confidence in Maths – Term 1 Overview

Apr 12, 2025 | Maths, 2025 Archive

Building Skills and Confidence in Maths – Term 1 Overview

Apr 12, 2025 | Maths, 2025 Archive

What a whirlwind of a first term! Our students have tackled a mountain of mathematics while also growing in confidence with our school systems and expectations.

Ms. Rhodes and Mrs. Chaney would like to take a moment to reflect on what’s been covered, and to thank you for the kind emails sharing the joy your children are experiencing in Maths.

What We’ve Covered in Term One:

Year 7

  • Special Numbers: Place value (to the billions), prime numbers, rounding, multiples (LCM), and factors (HCF)
  • Whole Numbers: Addition and subtraction (up to 4 digits), multiplication (3 × 2 digits), division (3-digit ÷ 1-digit), using vertical algorithms and short division strategies
  • Decimals: Place value, four operations using the above methods
  • Integers: Introducing positive and negative numbers in real-life contexts (e.g. credit and debt), and all four operations
  • Order of Operations: Using the B.E.D.M.A.S procedure
  • Financial Capability: Comparing food prices to calculate meal costs and exploring budgeting for a school garden

Year 8

  • Special Numbers: Prime and composite numbers, square and cube numbers, rounding, multiples, factor trees
  • Whole & Decimal Numbers: Operations up to 6 digits using vertical algorithms and division strategies
  • Integers: Applying positive and negative numbers to financial contexts
  • Order of Operations: Including integers in multi-step problems
  • Financial Capability: Budgeting to purchase and maintain a vehicle; covering living wage vs. minimum wage, W.O.F., registration, insurance, and comparing petrol vs. hybrid costs

Year 9

  • Special Numbers & Place Value: Building on Year 8 with larger numbers and more complex factorisation
  • Whole & Decimal Numbers: Advanced algorithms with 4 × 3-digit multiplication and multi-digit division
  • Integers: Applying integer operations to everyday financial scenarios
  • Order of Operations: Creating real-world equations and solving using B.E.D.M.A.S
  • Financial Capability: Exploring vehicle ownership costs and deeper financial language

Looking Ahead to Term Two

Next term we’ll shift focus to Algebra and Measurement. A key priority across all levels will be ensuring students are confident with their basic facts and times tables up to 12 × 12, as this underpins success in new concepts. Strengthening these foundations will allow us to move forward more effectively.

Thank you again for your support—let’s keep the momentum going into Term Two!

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