welcome to Signposts for Support
Mathematics year 8
Welcome to the Signposts for Support page for your Year 8 Child. This page will provide resources and advice to support your child in making progress at home.
Using Sparx Maths to work on Next Steps
Your child's report will include skills they need to work on to step forward with their learning. The Sparx learning platform is an excellent platform to use at home to work on skills specific to your child. The glossary below lists all of the skills we learn during the year 7 curriculum grouped by topic area. Each skill will have a code next to it. Your child can log on to Sparx and search the code next to the specific skill to work on their target area.
Number Skills
If your child has a Number based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Number Skills
If your child has a Number based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Unit | Topics | Topic Code | Building blocks - Basic Skills which will help your chiold to access the main Topics with more confidence | Topic Code |
Percentages of amounts |
Finding percentages of amounts without a calculator | M437 | Converting between fractions, decimals and percentages | M264 |
Finding percentages of amounts with a calculator | M905 | Fractions of amounts without a calculator | M695 | |
Fractions of amounts with a calculator | M684 | |||
Percentage change |
Percentage change without a calculator | M476 | Finding percentages of amounts without a calculator | M437 |
Percentage change with a calculator | M533 | Finding percentages of amounts with a calculator | M905 | |
Significant figures |
Rounding integers using significant figures | M994 | ||
Rounding decimals using significant figures | M131 | |||
Estimating calculations | M878 | |||
Standard form and ordinary numbers |
Using standard form with positive indices | M719 | Multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000 | M113 |
Using standard form with negative indices | M678 | |||
Fractions and recurring decimals |
Using recurring decimal notation | M701 | Using a written method to divide by integers to get a decimal answer | M262 |
Converting fractions to recurring decimals | M922 | Converting between fractions, decimals and percentages | M264 |
Algebra Skills
If your child has a Algebra based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Algebra Skills
If your child has an Algebra based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Unit | Topics | Topic Code | Building blocks - Basic Skills which will help your chiold to access the main Topics with more confidence | Topic Code |
Index laws |
Index rules with positive indices | M608 | Calculating with roots and powers | M135 |
Index rules with negative indices | M150 | Simplifying fractions | M671 | |
Simplifying expressions using index laws | M120 | Algebraic notation | M813 | |
Simplifying algebraic fractions by cancelling common factors | M568 | |||
Solving equations |
Solving equations of the form (x+a)/b=c | M401 | Solving equations with one step | M707 |
Solving linear equations involving brackets | M902 | Expanding single brackets | M237 | |
Solving equations with the unknown on both sides | M554 | Solving equations of the form ax+b=c | M634 | |
Solving equations with the unknown in the denominator | M387 | Solving equations of the form x/a+b=c | M647 | |
Constructing and solving equations | M957 | Simplifying expressions containing a single variable | M795 | |
Substituting into expressions with multiple operations | M327 | |||
Term-to-term rules |
Term-to-term rules for numerical sequences | M381 | Using number lines | M763 |
Term-to-term rules for sequences of patterns | M241 | Adding and subtracting with negative numbers | M106 | |
Multiplying and dividing with negative numbers | M288 | |||
Position-to-term rules |
Substituting into position-to-term rules | M166 | Term-to-term rules for numerical sequences | M381 |
Position-to-term rules for arithmetic sequences | M991 | Term-to-term rules for sequences of patterns | M241 | |
Position-to-term rules for sequences of patterns | M866 | Solving equations of the form ax+b=c | M634 | |
Substituting into expressions with multiple operations | M327 | |||
Coordinates and midpoints |
Calculating midpoints | M622 | Reading and plotting coordinates | M618 |
Mixed problems: Coordinates and midpoints | M311 | |||
Plotting graphs and finding equations |
Plotting horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines | M797 | Reading and plotting coordinates | M618 |
Plotting straight line graphs | M932 | Substituting into algebraic formulae | M208 | |
Finding equations of straight line graphs | M544 | |||
Linear inequalities |
Reading and drawing linear inequalities on number lines | M384 | Using number lines | M763 |
Solving single inequalities | M118 | Solving equations with one step | M707 | |
Mixed problems: solving equations with two or more steps | M509 | |||
Double brackets | Expanding double brackets | M960 | Expanding single brackets and simplifying expressions | M792 |
Measure Skills
If your child has a Measure based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Measure Skills
If your child has a Measure based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Unit | Topics | Topic Code | Building blocks - Basic Skills which will help your chiold to access the main Topics with more confidence | Topic Code |
Calculating with money |
Value for money | M681 | Solving proportion problems | M478 |
Adding decimals | M429 | |||
Subtracting decimals | M152 | |||
Using a written method to multiply decimals | M803 | |||
Using a written method to divide by integers to get a decimal answer | M262 | |||
Ratio |
Writing and simplifying ratios | M885 | Finding the highest common factor | M698 |
Writing ratios in the form 1:n | M543 | Constructing fractions | M939 | |
Converting between ratios, fractions and percentages | M267 | Writing numbers as percentages of other numbers | M235 | |
Using equivalent ratios to find unknown amounts | M801 | |||
Sharing amounts in a given ratio | M525 | |||
Scale diagrams |
Drawing and interpreting scale diagrams | M112 | Writing and simplifying ratios | M885 |
Using equivalent ratios to find unknown amounts | M801 | |||
Writing ratios in the form 1:n | M543 |
Geometry Skills
If your child has a Geometry based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Geometry
If your child has a Geometry based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Unit | Topics | Topic Code | Building blocks - Basic Skills which will help your chiold to access the main Topics with more confidence | Topic Code |
Area and units |
Finding the area of parallelograms | M291 | Finding the area of rectangles | M390 |
Finding the area of trapeziums | M705 | Finding the area of compound shapes | M269 | |
Converting units of area | M728 | Finding the area of triangles | M610 | |
Finding the area of compound shapes containing triangles | M996 | |||
Converting units of length | M772 | |||
Area and circumference |
Identifying parts of circles | M595 | Calculating with roots and powers | M135 |
Finding the circumference of circles | M169 | Substituting into algebraic formulae | M208 | |
Finding the area of circles | M231 | Rounding decimals | M431 | |
Nets |
Properties of 3D shapes | M767 | Shape properties | M276 |
Nets of 3D shapes | M518 | |||
Surface area |
Finding the surface area from a net | M884 | Nets of 3D shapes | M518 |
Finding the surface area of cubes and cuboids | M534 | Finding the area of compound shapes | M269 | |
Finding the surface area of prisms | M661 | Finding the area of compound shapes containing triangles | M996 | |
Converting units of length | M772 | |||
Volume |
Finding the volume of cubes and cuboids | M765 | Finding the area of compound shapes | M269 |
Finding the volume of prisms | M722 | Finding the area of compound shapes containing triangles | M996 | |
Converting units of volume | M465 | Converting units of length | M772 | |
Transforming shapes |
Translation | M139 | Reading and plotting coordinates | M618 |
Reflection | M290 | |||
Finding unknown angles |
Angles in quadrilaterals | M679 | Angles on a line and about a point | M818 |
Combining angle facts | M319 | Vertically opposite angles | M163 | |
Angles on parallel lines | M606 | Angles in triangles | M351 | |
Using quadrilateral properties to find angles | M393 | |||
Angles in polygons | M653 |
Data Handling & Statistics Skills
If your child If your child has a Data Handling & Statistics based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Data Handling & Statistics
If your child If your child has a Data Handling & Statistics based target please click here to find the topic codes which can be searched here.
Unit | Topics | Topic Code | Building blocks - Basic Skills which will help your chiold to access the main Topics with more confidence | Topic Code | Further topics to explore | Topic Code |
Drawing and interpreting statistical diagrams |
Drawing pie charts | M574 | Drawing angles | M331 | Plotting scatter graphs (Year 9 Term 3) | U199 |
Interpreting pie charts | M165 | Angles on a line and about a point | M818 | Interpreting scatter graphs (Year 9 Term 3) | U277 | |
Drawing line graphs | M140 | Fractions of amounts without a calculator | M695 | |||
Interpreting line graphs | M183 | Averages and range | M328, M934, M841, M940 | |||
Drawing stem-and-leaf diagrams | M648 | |||||
Interpreting stem-and-leaf diagrams | M210 | |||||
Finding averages from diagrams | U854 |