“Maths is the best subject when you understand it and get the question right”
- quote from a fourth form maths pupil.
The aim of the maths department is to present maths in an interesting, fun and informative manner.
Location
The Mathematics Department is situated in four dedicated rooms all equipped with digital projectors and 3 with interactive whiteboards. A fifth room is available for individual tuition for pupils who need extra support. Classes have regular access to the computer room on the floor above which has 25 computers. Pupils are set in ability groups in forms 3-7.
Staff
Mrs H. Yorston ( Head of Department)
Mr M. Jeffers
Mr M. Allnutt
Mrs S Sinclair
Mr P. Erdal ( also teaches Economics)
Mr I Young ( individual tuition)
Dr A Collins ( part time)
Syllabi | A level | Assessment for learning
Syllabi
Junior Entry
A small number of pupils enter the school aged 12 and they follow the Key Stage 3 National Mathematics Framework levels 5 – 8 in a mixed ability group with differentiated content. We put an emphasis on gaining a solid foundation in numerical and algebraic skills with investigations and puzzles to make mathematics interesting and fun. Extension work is provided for gifted mathematicians.
Setting
Pupils are set according to ability from form 3 through to sixth form with small classes for those who find maths the most challenging.
Form 3
All pupils begin the GCSE syllabus in Form 3, which provides continuity and plenty of time to prepare thoroughly for obtaining a good grade in GCSE mathematics by the time they sit the examination in Form 5.
GCSE
Mathematics at GCSE is in a state of constant change due to the changing national examinations! The top fifth form set took Edexcel IGCSE (without coursework) for the first time last year and achieved excellent results. As a result the top set will take IGCSE again this year, leaving time for more challenging work in the form of C1 pure maths work for AS-level.
The government has stated that this would be the last year of coursework for national GCSE mathematics examinations. This means that coursework in its current form is being submitted by the other sets for the final year and it is planned that they will sit the EDEXCEL GCSE linear A syllabus.
We have purchased new Collins GCSE textbooks which enable pupils to see the GCSE level of the questions they are attempting and all the contents are available on CD-ROM and the school network for easy access. On-line homework is also planned and access to supporting maths self-teaching content on the school VLE should be available by the Summer Term. All classes in Form 3 to Form 5 use the Collins textbooks, working from the Higher textbook in sets 1, 2 and 3 and using the Foundation textbook in set 4. Any student who achieves good results in the foundation syllabus examinations will be encouraged to consider working towards the higher syllabus and progress will be closely monitored.
Starting with the current Fourth Form, in future years it is planned that pupils will also have the opportunity to sit Edexcel Statistics GCSE which still has a coursework element.
Syllabi | A level | Assessment for learning
A level
Sixth form pupils study all modules of Mathematics and Further Mathematics following the Edexcel Modular A level. Over half of the lower sixth form are currently studying mathematics in four groups. One group is taking an express route and planning to do the full A level and also AS Further Maths in the time allocation of one A level over the two years in sixth form. A small group of pupils are already planning to take the full A level award in Further Maths and they have extra lessons to prepare for Mechanics modules and FP1-3.
The profile of Further maths has been raised in the lower sixth and there are 12 students in the class at present, one of whom achieved two 100% scores on his first two examinations in January. Another student has now set his sight on gaining a triple A level in maths by completing all 18 modules.
Those taking a single Maths A level will study C1, C2 and S1 in Lower Sixth and C3, C4 and M1 in Upper Sixth.
Able pupils are prepared for STEP examinations and scholarship mathematics.
Departmental Results ( 2007)
Exam |
A*/A |
A - C |
A - E |
GCSE & IGCSE |
49% |
94% |
100% |
| |
A |
A- C |
A-E |
A2 Maths |
55% |
82% |
96% |
A2 Further Maths |
43% |
100% |
|
Success
Pupils were entered for the Senior Maths Challenge and they achieved 4 Gold, 13 silver and 8 bronze certificates. Two gained scores which allowed them to enter the British Olympiad Round 1 and they both gained Distinctions in the Olympiad.
In the Intermediate Challenge the fourth form gained 1 Gold, 4 Silver and 6 bronze certificates while the third form gained 3 Gold, 4 Silver and 4 bronze certificates. This year one student in third form qualified for the Cayley competition and two students are through to the next round called the Pink Kangaroo.
Syllabi | A level | Assessment for learning
Assessment for Learning
The department is embedding Assessment for Learning techniques in all their teaching. Pupils learn how to assess their own progress and take responsibility for their learning with a greater understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses. Teachers explain clearly the learning objectives of each lesson and provide more formative assessment.
ICT
Staff use SMARTboards and digital projectors to present topics visually especially using Omnigraph and Cabri. Lesson notes are saved for students and posted on the school network to help those who missed a lesson or find note-taking difficult. The fifth form used ICT to analyse data and produce their statistics coursework. Pupils are keen users of Omnigraph to explore graphs and their solutions and will be learning to analysing statistics with Autograph.
