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Mathematics

The Mathematics Department is one of the largest departments in the school. Our examination results are excellent and mathematics is one of the most popular courses studied at A’level. Feedback from students of all ages highlights the quality of teaching and their enjoyment of the subject.

Students get lots of support in mathematics. We run drop in workshops at lunchtime on Tuesdays. Any student is welcome to come and ask the workshop teacher for help with any mathematical problem that is troubling them. The Year 10 and 11 Maths Buddies are also available at break and lunch times. Our intervention timetable for exam years runs on a Monday after school and Thursday morning, highlighting key exam skills.

Our students take part in different mathematical challenges including the 24 game and attend inter-school events. This year we have come second in the borough in two events.

Year 9 students are selected to attend a series of Saturday workshops for the more able. They learn about a range of different applications in the real world. Their favourite session this year was the mathematics of juggling.

There is a maths puzzle of the week that is open to all students. The winner gets a prize of a voucher to spend in the school canteen. Many students take part and it can get quite competitive.

All students are expected to bring the following equipment to every lesson:

  • Black pen
  • Pencil
  • 15cm ruler
  • 30cm ruler
  • Protractor
  • Compass
  • Rubber
  • Pencil sharpener
  • 3 highlight pens
  • Scientific calculator
  • Glue
  • Pencil case

Key Stage 3

Students are taught in mixed groups in Year 7 and are encouraged to demonstrate their understanding by showing all relevant working out. During the year they are placed in differentiated sets. There is a small set for those that require additional support.

A key focus in Year 7 Mathematics is teaching students to show all their working out in a logical manner, rather than just concentrating on the correct answer.

Topics covered include:

  • Expressions, equations and formulae
  • BIDMAS
  • Angles
  • Constructions
  • Area and perimeter
  • Fractions and decimals
  • Data handling
  • Representing data in pie charts, bar charts and histograms

Problem solving, selecting the most appropriate mathematics for the task

In Year 8, the skills developed in Year 7 are extended and students are expected to further develop their problem solving and become even more independent. Topics include:

  • Expressions, equations and formulae
  • Percentages
  • Probability
  • Ratio and proportion
  • Circles
  • Algebra – expanding brackets and writing formulae
  • Data handling – questionnaires, surveys and representing this data
  • Problem solving, selecting the most appropriate mathematics for the task

In Year 9, students continue to develop their skills and are expected to be able to analyse, evaluate and develop a range of strategies to solve problems and so become more independent in their work.

We begin the Edexcel GCSE syllabus in Year 9. Topics include:

  • Indices & standard form
  • Probability
  • Formulae
  • Sequences
  • Graphs
  • Angles
  • Pythagoras & trigonometry
  •  Ratio & proportion
  • Statistics
  • Area and perimeter of circles
  • Pythagoras & trigonometry
  • Ratio & proportion
  • Statistics
  • Area and perimeter of circles

Assessment

Regular feedback is given in class and in exercise books. Students are expected to respond to the feedback and do any corrections.

Students are assessed at the end of each topic and are given a level so that they can see the progress they have made and what they will need to do next.

Key Stage 4

GCSE Maths

In Year 10, students continue to develop their independent learning skills and also begin to develop exam technique by looking at past paper questions and mark schemes. Topics covered include:

  • Expanding brackets and factorizing
  • Fractions, decimals and percentages
  • Circle geometry
  • Area and volume of 2D and 3D shapes
  • Congruence and similarity
  • Averages and range
  • Boxplots and cumulative frequency
  • Constructions and loci
  • Solving equations
  • Trigonometry and Pythagoras’ Theorem
  • Indices and standard form

In Year 11, students consolidate their understanding of previous topics, complete the GCSE syllabus and continue to develop their exam technique by answering past paper questions and marking using official mark schemes. Topics covered include:

  • Quadratic and simultaneous equations
  • Inequalities
  • Vectors
  • Algebraic proof and algebraic fractions
  • Sine and cosine rule
  • Surds
  • Direct and indirect proportion
  • Probability
  • Scatter diagrams and correlation
  • Transformation of functions

Assessment

Our current Year 11’s are following the Edexcel linear GCSE course. Students are entered for higher (grades A*-D) or foundation (grades C-G) level at the end of the course.

Our Year 10’s will be our first year group to sit the new Edexcel linear maths GCSE course, with a grading of 9-4 available for the higher tier and 5 -1 for the foundation tier.

Regular feedback is given in class and in exercise books. Students are expected to respond to the feedback. They are also expected to check their answers independently and make any corrections, asking for help if required.

Students are assessed at the end of each topic and are given a grade so that they can see the progress they have made and what they will need to do next.

Key Stage 5

AS Level

We follow the Edexcel AS level course. Students study 2 compulsory core mathematics modules and select one application module between mechanics and decision mathematics.

The core 1 unit consolidates and extends A and A* concepts taught at GCSE as well as introducing some new ideas. The core 2 module introduces a range of new concepts and so is more challenging than core 1. Students taking physics are advised to opt for the mechanics module.

Core 1

  • Algebra and functions
  • Quadratic functions
  • Equations and inequalities
  • Sketching curves
  • Coordinate geometry
  • Sequences and series
  • Differentiation and integration

Core 2

  • Algebra and function
  • Sine and cosine rules
  • Exponentials and logarithms
  • Coordinate geometry
  • Binomial expansion
  • Radians
  • Geometric sequences and series
  • Graphs of trigonometric functions and trigonometric identities
  • Differentiation and integration

A Level

We follow the Edexcel A2 level course. Students study 2 compulsory core mathematics modules and select one application module between statistics and mechanics. Students are encouraged to study statistics as it will be of great benefit in most degree courses.

Core 3

  • Algebraic fractions
  • Functions
  • Exponentials and log functions
  • Numerical methods
  • Transforming graphs of functions

·      Trigonometry

·      Trigonometric identities

·      Differentiation

Core 4

·      Partial fractions

·      Coordinate geometry

·      Binomial expansion

·      Differentiation and integration

·      Vectors

AS and A Level Assessment

Regular feedback is given in class and in exercise books. Students are expected to respond to the feedback. They are also expected to check their answers independently and make any corrections, asking for help if required.

Students are assessed at the end of each topic and are given a grade so that they can see the progress they have made and what they will need to do next.

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