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It details the selection of AQA using its interactive digital Route Map, then summarizes key challenges and solutions: assessing pupil progress, fitting recommended teaching time, and improving student engagement and retention through end-of-year recruitment and termly planning.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/teaching-the-new-core-maths-at-malmesbury-school-case-study-2/619436/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/teaching-the-new-core-maths-at-malmesbury-school-case-study-2/619436.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Hazel","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-06","2026-10-20",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",7,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why did Malmesbury School decide to teach Core Maths?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Core Maths was made compulsory post-GCSE unless students were taking A-level Maths. The senior leadership team decided it would help the school perform well in the 2017 league tables and supported the implementation.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How did the school structure teaching groups and timetables?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The school enrolled 50–60 students and split them into five teaching groups of different sizes. The timetable was arranged so that there is a Core Maths class for every teaching group, with each class taught by specialist maths teachers.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What were the three main challenges during implementation?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The challenges were assessing pupil progress, recommended teaching time, and student engagement. 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Students have to study it post-GCSE, unless they’re studying A-level Maths. This means we have a really large cohort.  \nThe SLT decided we should teach Core Maths. I think this was a strategic decision as they know it will help us perform well in the 2017 league tables. They handed the implementation over tome, which was a great opportunity. Having such strong support from them has made it much easier to implement the course.  \nTimetables and classes  \nWe have 50-60 students enrolled on Core Maths. We’ve split them in to five teaching groups of various sizes and arranged the timetable so it’sin every option block. This means there’s a Core Maths class for every teaching group.  \nWe have one class with 3 students and another with 22. All our classes are taught by 3 specialist maths teachers. I teach two groups, my Head of Maths teaches another (this is great as it raises the profile of the subject amongst students and parents) and the third teacher used to be Head of Maths at another school.”  \n[aqa.org.uk/core-maths](aqa.org.uk/core-maths)  \nWhy we chose to work with AQA  \nLast August I was starting to panic as I still hadn’t decided which exam board to teach with and the new school year was approaching fast.  \nWhen I saw AQA’s digital Route Map, this changed [my mind. Visit](my mind. Visit allaboutmaths.aqa.org.uk/coremaths)[ allaboutmaths.aqa.org.uk/coremaths](my mind. Visit allaboutmaths.aqa.org.uk/coremaths)[ ](my mind. Visit allaboutmaths.aqa.org.uk/coremaths)[to view the Route Map. You can see all the topics](to view the Route Map. You can see all the topics)[ ](to view the Route Map. You can see all the topics)and skills you need to teach, you can move them around easily and it’s really interactive and flexible to teach. If I want to spend 3 weeks on percentagesin November, I can simply drag that box to that slot. Each topic also links to multiple resources so I’ve got lots of new teaching tips and ideas too.  \nThe Route Map really was the big decider for me. Everything I needed was right in front of me. That’s why I chose AQA. AQA have lots more resources available. I’d never setup a course before, I didn’t really know what I was doing, the Routemap gave me the confidence and knowledge I needed.  \nIf you need any support getting to grips with Level 3 Mathematical studies give us a call on 0161 957 3852 , [email](email maths@aqa.org.uk)[ maths@aqa.org.uk](email maths@aqa.org.uk)[ ](email maths@aqa.org.uk)or tweet us at @AQAMaths  \nGraham Hall,  \nQualifications Developer for Level 3 Mathematical Studies  \nAQA CERTIFICATE IN LEVEL 3 MATHEMATICAL STUDIES (CORE MATHS)– CASE STUDY 2  \nTeaching Core Maths  \nThe challenges we faced  \nThe three main things for me have been:  \n1. Assessing pupil progress.  \nI’ve been very lucky and my SLT haven’t really demanded that I hold regular assessments – with ‘normal’ maths courses they would.  \nThey’ve been quite flexible and understanding that it’s a new course but I do need to address how to assess more throughout next year. Do I do mini topics? An end of unit test? Should I test weekly or monthly? I think that will give that course more backing for the students when they realise its credibility.  \nWe’ve done mini topics which were successful.  \n2. Recommended teaching time.  \nThe Core Maths Support Programme (CMSP) recommended I do about 2 hours a week. We couldn’t fit that in with 5 classes, so I do an hour and a half and that’s been ok.  \nI was initially quite concerned that we would not have enough time but we managed to fit quite a lot in – including plenty of time for problem solving.  \nThe SLT have said that if I need more time to fit in extra project work in Year 13 they’ll include it in the timetable.","cbCaihKNAvSxozeD","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaihKNAvSxozeD","pdf",911622,"English","# Teaching Core Maths at Malmesbury School\n## Why Core Maths and course implementation\n## Timetables and classes\n## Why work with AQA\n## The challenges we faced\n## What’s worked well","[{\"question\":\"Why did Malmesbury School decide to teach Core Maths?\",\"answer\":\"Core Maths was made compulsory post-GCSE unless students were taking A-level Maths. The senior leadership team decided it would help the school perform well in the 2017 league tables and supported the implementation.\"},{\"question\":\"How did the school structure teaching groups and timetables?\",\"answer\":\"The school enrolled 50–60 students and split them into five teaching groups of different sizes. The timetable was arranged so that there is a Core Maths class for every teaching group, with each class taught by specialist maths teachers.\"},{\"question\":\"What were the three main challenges during implementation?\",\"answer\":\"The challenges were assessing pupil progress, recommended teaching time, and student engagement. The case study explains how mini topics were used, how timing was adapted to an hour and a half per week, and how offering the course later in the year changed student preparation and attitude.\"}]","Teaching the new Core Maths at Malmesbury School - Case Study 2 | PDF",1792462930,18]