Curriculum Intent

At all levels, students are provided with opportunities to develop mathematical skills and master a growth mindset approach. The emphasis is on empowering students to notice, make connections, explain, justify, conjecture and prove.  

We adopt a Mastery approach with one set of mathematical concepts and big ideas for all. We encourage students to deploy models to support their development (ratio tables, area model, graphing) as well as draw a pictorial representation to make sense of a given situation. Challenge is provided through depth rather than acceleration. Students are offered a wide variety of opportunities and experiences that widen their appreciation of mathematics and the world around it.

2019 Exam Results 

• 60.5% GCSE Mathematics Pass Rate (Grades 9 – 4) National Average 59.6% 
• 85.7% A Level Mathematics Pass Rate (Grades A* - E) National Average 96.8% 

The Mathematics Department aims to empower every student to achieve the best grade possible through consistently high-quality teaching, which enables students to master the skills, knowledge and understanding required for GCSE Mathematics and beyond. The department’s schemes of work challenge high achievers as well as support less able students, while consistent use of rewards and sanctions instil a positive learning environment. Timely communication with parents and carers ensures that problems are dealt with promptly, and the department monitors data closely to ensure that effective interventions can be made when students are not making the progress that they should. We have a fully staffed department of well qualified, enthusiastic and dedicated teachers and our students use new and cutting edge resources in state-of-the-art accommodation. The department actively encourages students to pursue Maths in Further Education, promotes STEM careers and hosts competitive Mathematics Events.   

Courses 

All students study Mathematics in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 and are taught in 7 sets across each year group except in Year 8, where students are set in half-year groups. Sets are reviewed when current grades are released to parents to ensure students are in the appropriate teaching group to both support and challenge them. Students begin the GCSE course at the start of Year 9. Students are encouraged to study A-Level Mathematics at Key Stage 5.

In Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, students are taught Mathematics for 8 hours per fortnight. A-Level students are taught for 9 hours per fortnight. 

Year 11 students are entered for the Higher or Foundation Tier of the Edexcel GCSE in Mathematics. A-Level students are entered for Edexcel A Level Mathematics, studying Pure Mathematics, Mechanics and Statistics in Year 12 and Year 13.

Homework 

Homework is set for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 students once per week and should take from 30 to 60 minutes for Key Stage Three students and from 45 to 90 minutes for Key Stage 4 students.  All homework is available on Show My Homework, which students can access at home or in the Learning Resources Centre at break time, lunchtime and afterschool during Homework Club. 

Accommodation and Resources 

The Mathematics Department moved into state-of-the-art accommodation in November 2016 and has a suite of 8 classrooms, a lift, a large departmental office, water fountains and student bathrooms on both floors. In the summer of 2017, the school purchased new mathematics textbooks with online access for both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 students. The department has a class set of tablets to support the use of ICT in Mathematics lessons

Resources: 

• https://www.pearsonactivelearn.com
• https://corbettmaths.com/
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/education 
• https://vle.mathswatch.co.uk/vle/
• https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk/gcse.html