Curriculum

In collaboration with schools in the LUMEN network, we have developed a completely free, research-informed, full set of mathematics curriculum resources for Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14).

If you have used any part of the LUMEN Curriculum, please give us feedback on the feedback form

This short (2-3-minute) video describes the features of the LUMEN Curriculum.

This longer (15-minute) video describes the features of the LUMEN Curriculum in more detail.

Dr Colin Foster, Director of LUMEN, has written an article for The Conversation discussing how principles from cognitive science have been used in the design of the LUMEN Curriculum. The full article can be read in The Conversation.

Also read a Centre for Mathematical Cognition blogpost about the LUMEN Curriculum

Journal articles relating to the development of the LUMEN Curriculum:

Foster, C., Francome, T., Hewitt, D., & Shore, C. (2021). Principles for the design of a fully-resourced, coherent, research-informed school mathematics curriculum. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 53(5), 621–641. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2021.1902569

Foster, C. (2022). Using coherent representations of number in the school mathematics curriculum. For the Learning of Mathematics, 42(3), 21–27.

Foster, C., Barichello, L., Bustang, B., Najjuma, R., & Saralar-Aras, 陌 (2022). Decolonizing educational design for school mathematics. For the Learning of Mathematics, 42(2), 9–14.

Foster, C., Burkhardt, H., & Schoenfeld, A. (2022). Crisis-ready educational design: The case of mathematics. The Curriculum Journal, 33(4), 519–535. https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.159

Foster, C. (2023). Problem solving in the mathematics curriculum: From domain-general strategies to domain-specific tactics. The Curriculum Journal, 34(4), 594–612. https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.213

Foster, C., Woollacott, B., Francome, T., Shore, C., Peters, C., & Morley, H. (2024). Challenges in applying principles from cognitive science to the design of a school mathematics curriculum. The Curriculum Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.249

Other articles relating to the development of the LUMEN Curriculum:

Francome, T. (2024). Length and area: Key characters in the curriculum story. Mathematics Teaching, 293, 41–46.

Foster, C., Francome, T., & Shore, C. (2024). Trigonometry without SOHCAHTOA. Mathematics in School, 53(3), 8–11.

Francome, T. (2024). Illuminating maths. Teach Secondary, 13(4), 64–65.

Foster, C. (2023). Less is more: Improving by removing. Mathematical Gazette, 107(570), 386–398. https://doi.org/10.1017/mag.2023.90

Foster, C. (2023). Improving educational design by comparing alternatives. Mathematics Teaching, 289, 14–18.

Shore, C., Francome, T., & Foster, C. (2023). The sheer delight of shearing. Mathematics in School, 52(4), 32–34.

Foster, C. (2023). Less is more: Improving by removing. Mathematics Teaching, 287, 7–14.

Foster, C., Francome, T., Hewitt, D., & Shore, C. (2022). What is a fraction? Mathematics in School, 51(5), 25–27.

Foster, C. (2022). Are words sometimes better than formulae? Mathematics in School, 51(5),12–14.

Foster, C. (2022). Connecting things up coherently. Mathematics in School, 51(5), 8–11.

Foster, C., & Francome, T. (2022). Diagrams not drawn accurately. Mathematics in School, 51(4), 20–22.

Foster, C. (2022). Crossing out. Mathematics in School, 51(4), 6–7.

Francome, T., & Foster, C. (2022). Plenary - or just ponder? Mathematics Teaching, 281, 19–21.

Foster, C. (2022). Choosing the best proofs. Mathematics in School, 51(3), 2–7.

Foster, C. (2022). Methods that are just mental clutter. Mathematics in School, 51(2), 20–22.

Foster, C. (2022). Getting multiplication the right way round. Mathematics in School, 51(2), 16–17.

Foster, C. (2022). Giving everything a twist. Mathematics in School, 51(1), 24–25.

Foster, C. (2021). Questions pupils ask: What are 'like terms'? Mathematics in School, 50(4), 20–21.

Foster, C. (2021). Problem solving and prior knowledge. Mathematics in School, 50(4), 6–8.

Foster, C. (2021). On hating formula triangles. Mathematics in School, 50(1), 31–32.