What the Grade 11 Core Mathematics curriculum design is
The Grade 11 Core Mathematics curriculum design is the official KICD document that sets out what a Senior School learner on the STEM pathway learns in Mathematics in Grade 11. It names the strands and sub-strands of the year and, for every sub-strand, gives the specific learning outcomes, suggested learning experiences and key inquiry questions. A Grade 11 Core Mathematics scheme of work, lesson plan or assessment is built from it.
2027 is the first year Grade 11 is taught under the CBC. The learners who started Senior School in Grade 10 in 2026 move up when Term 1 opens on 4 January 2027, so no earlier CBC Grade 11 scheme exists to borrow from. The design is the starting point for every Core Mathematics teacher this year.
Core Mathematics or Essential Mathematics?
Every Senior School learner takes Mathematics, but in one of two versions, and the version depends on the learner's pathway.
- Core Mathematics is for learners on the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pathway.
- Essential Mathematics is for learners on the non-STEM pathways: Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science.
They are separate curriculum designs. Before downloading the design, or any scheme, lesson plan or exam built from it, confirm which version the class takes. A teacher with one STEM class and one Social Sciences class needs both.
The catalogue also holds a Grade 11 design labelled simply "Mathematics". Check its title page to see which version it is before planning from it.
The four strands of Grade 11 Core Mathematics
The Grade 11 Core Mathematics design is organised into four strands:
- Numbers and Algebra
- Measurements and Geometry
- Statistics and Probability
- Calculus
Each strand is broken into sub-strands in the design's summary table, and each sub-strand carries its own learning outcomes and suggested number of lessons. Use that summary table to sequence the year before writing a scheme of work.
The design's essence statement describes a course that builds on Junior School mathematics and develops critical, creative and logical reasoning and abstract thinking. It is meant to prepare STEM learners for further study in fields such as engineering, the sciences, medicine and actuarial work.
How the design fits the Grade 11 week
Mathematics takes 5 of the 40 lessons in a Senior School week, and each lesson is 40 minutes. That is the same allocation as English, Kiswahili and each of the three electives. Over a 13-week Senior School Term 1 that gives about 65 Core Mathematics lessons, before allowing for opener, mid-term and end-term assessment.
For planning the 2027 terms:
- Term 1: 4 January to 2 April (13 weeks), half term 19 to 28 February.
- Term 2: 3 May to 30 July (13 weeks), half term 9 to 20 June.
- Term 3: 30 August to 5 November (10 weeks).
The design does not split the strands into terms. That is a school decision, made when the scheme of work is written. Our Kenya School Calendar 2027 has every date.
What is inside the design
Like every Senior School design, it follows a fixed order. It opens with the national goals of education, Senior School in the CBC and the learning outcomes for Senior School. Then come the subject list and lesson distribution, the Core Mathematics essence statement and subject general learning outcomes, and the summary of strands and sub-strands. The strand tables follow, then appendices. For planning, the summary of strands and the strand tables matter most: they carry the learning outcomes, learning experiences and key inquiry questions that schemes of work and lesson plans are built on.
Who this page is for
This page is for anyone preparing to teach or support Grade 11 Core Mathematics in its first CBC year. Mathematics teachers taking a STEM class in 2027 can confirm they have the right design and see its shape before planning. Heads of department and timetablers can plan from the 5-lesson allocation and the 2027 term lengths. Trainee teachers get the Core versus Essential distinction in one place. Parents and learners choosing or confirming a pathway can see what Core Mathematics involves, including Calculus. And anyone downloading for a teacher at a cyber café or school office should check that the file says Core Mathematics, Grade 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the strands in Grade 11 Core Mathematics? Four: Numbers and Algebra; Measurements and Geometry; Statistics and Probability; and Calculus.
Who takes Core Mathematics in Grade 11? Learners on the STEM pathway. Learners on the Social Sciences and the Arts and Sports Science pathways take Essential Mathematics, which has its own design.
How many Mathematics lessons are there per week in Grade 11? Five lessons of 40 minutes, out of a 40-lesson Senior School week.
Is there a Grade 11 Core Mathematics scheme of work? Schemes of work are built from the design. For Senior School schemes, start from our Schemes of Work by Grade & Term guide.
When does Grade 11 start in 2027? On 4 January 2027. Senior School Term 1 runs 13 weeks to 2 April.
More Grade 11 curriculum designs
This page covers Core Mathematics. For every Grade 11 subject, the Senior School structure and the 40-lesson week, see our Grade 11 Curriculum Designs guide. Chemistry has its own page: Grade 11 Chemistry Curriculum Design. For every other grade, start from CBC Curriculum Designs.
Download the Grade 11 Core Mathematics curriculum design (PDF)
The Grade 11 Core Mathematics curriculum design is in our catalogue as a PDF. Use the link below to open it, or the second link for the design the catalogue labels "Mathematics".