Mathematics

SPECIFIC AIMS OF THE DEPARTMENT

The Mathematics Department aims to:

develop pupils to a suitable level of competence in a range of mathematical skills
encourage pupils to develop personal qualities such as initiative, self-confidence and independence;
develop pupils’ understanding of mathematics in its widest context and see how it relates to themselves outside school; and
enable pupils to develop skills which are transferable to other subjects.

OVERVIEW OF KEY STAGE 3 CURRICULUM

At Key Stage 3, Mathematics is delivered over seven lessons per fortnight to Year 8 and 9 and six lessons per fortnight to Year 10. The course aims to equip pupils with appropriate mathematical skills in a wide range of application areas and to enable them to use ICT as an effective statistical analysis tool. Pupils will develop personal skills and capabilities throughout Key Stage 3 and, having completed a series of Using Mathematics tasks, will be given a Level of Progression at the end of Year 10.

YEAR 8 CURRICULUM

In Year 8, pupils study the following topics:

Number
Angles
Letters and Numbers
Measuring Length, Area and Perimeter
Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
Co-ordinates and Symmetry
Data Handling
Volume and Nets
Graphs, Tables and Diagrams
Approximation and use of calculator

YEAR 9 CURRICULUM

In Year 9, pupils study the following topics:

Algebra with Brackets and Sequences
Ratio and Proportion
Quadrilaterals and Volume of Prisms
Scale Drawing, Constructions and Bearings
Polygons
Statistics
Money Matters
Inequalities
The Circle
Prime factors and Indices

YEAR 10 CURRICULUM

In Year 10, pupils study the following topics:

Pythagoras Theorem and Trigonometry
Expressions, Equations and Formulae
Linear Functions and Shading regions
Money Matters
Transformations
Probability
Cumulative Frequency and Boxplots
Compound Measures
Standard Form

Throughout Key Stage 3, pupils complete Using Mathematics tasks and are awarded a Level of Progression in Using Mathematics at the end of Year 10. In Year 10, pupils complete two assessments, one in December and one in June. The results of these two assessments are used to place pupils into groups for GCSE Mathematics. Half of the year group are then offered the opportunity to study GCSE Mathematics in Year 11 and then GCSE Further Mathematics in Year 12 as part of the accelerated GCSE Mathematics programme. The rest of the year group will study GCSE Mathematics over their two years of study at Key Stage 4.

OVERVIEW OF KEY STAGE 4 CURRICULUM

At Key Stage 4, the Mathematics Department offers Mathematics and Further Mathematics at GCSE Level. Pupils follow the CCEA specification. Mathematics is delivered over eight or nine lessons per fortnight.

GCSE MATHEMATICS

The content of each GCSE Mathematics unit relates to:

Number and Algebra;
Geometry and Measures; and
Statistics and Probability.

Through each unit at Key Stage 4, pupils will:

develop knowledge, skills and understanding of mathematical methods and concepts;
acquire and use problem-solving strategies;
select and apply mathematical techniques and methods in mathematical, everyday and real-world situations;
reason mathematically, make deductions and inferences, and draw conclusions;
interpret and communicate mathematical information in a variety of forms appropriate to the information and context; and
acquire a foundation appropriate to the further study of mathematics and other disciplines.

All pupils in Year 11 will complete at least one GCSE Higher Level Mathematics module at the end of Year 11 (either M3 or M4). All pupils will sit the completion paper M7 or M8 at the end of Year 12.

Unit 1: M3 OR M4 (45%)

Pupils will study either M3 or M4 depending on their mathematical ability and their progress during Year 11.

This unit is assessed in the form of a written examination. Pupils will have 2 hours to complete the assessment for this unit.

Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 11. Pupils’ work in this unit will be externally assessed. A calculator is permitted for this examination.

Unit 2: M7 OR M8 (Completion Test) (55%)

Pupils will study either M7 or M8 depending on their attainment in their Year 11 module (M3 or M4) and their progress during Year 12.

This unit is assessed in the form of two written examinations – Paper 1 and Paper 2. Pupils will have 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete each examination. Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 12. Pupils’ work in this unit will be externally assessed.

Pupils may not use a calculator for Paper 1. The use of a calculator is permitted for Paper 2.

Grades available for the different modules combinations are as follows:

M4 and M8: Grade A* to D

M4 and M7: Grade A to D

M3 and M7: Grade B to E

GCSE FURTHER MATHEMATICS

Pupils who study Further Mathematics will complete GCSE Mathematics modules M4 and M8 at the end of Year 11 and GCSE Further Mathematics Unit 1, 2 and 3 at the end of Year 12.

GCSE Further Mathematics takes the study of Mathematics beyond the content of GCSE Higher Tier. It introduces some of the pure, mechanics and statistics topics that students encounter in GCE Mathematics and acts as a ‘stepping stone’ between GCSE and GCE.

Unit 1: Pure Mathematics (50%)

This unit is assessed in the form of a written examination. Pupils will have 2 hours to complete the assessment for this unit.

Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 12. Pupils’ work in this unit will be externally assessed.

Topics included in this unit are:

Algebra
Trigonometry
Differentiation
Integration
Matrices
Logarithms

Unit 2: Mechanics (25%)

This unit is assessed in the form of a written examination. Pupils will have 1 hour to complete the assessment for this unit.

Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 12. Pupils’ work in this unit will be externally assessed.

Topics included in this unit are:

Kinematics
Forces and Newton's Laws
Vectors
Moments and Equilibrium

Unit 3: Statistics (25%)

This unit is assessed in the form of a written examination. Pupils will have 1 hour to complete the assessment for this unit.

Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 12. Pupils’ work in this unit will be externally assessed.

Topics included in this unit are:

Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion
Probability
Binomial Distribution
Normal Distribution
Bivariate Analysis

OVERVIEW OF KEY STAGE 5 CURRICULUM

At Key Stage 5, the Mathematics Department offers Mathematics at AS and A2 Level. Students follow the CCEA specification. At AS and A2 Level, Mathematics is delivered over eleven lessons per fortnight.

At Key Stage 5, the Mathematics Department aims to:

consolidate and extend the knowledge, skills and understanding developed by students at Key Stage 4;
have a structure which will allow students of all abilities to have the opportunity to demonstrate positive achievement; and
provide a suitable foundation for the study of Mathematics and other subjects in further and higher education and for a range of interesting careers.

At AS Level, students must successfully complete two modules. A further two modules must be successfully completed at A2 Level.

AS MATHEMATICS

Unit 1: AS1 Pure Mathematics (60% of AS, 24% of A Level)

This unit covers the pure content of AS Mathematics. It is compulsory for both AS and A Level Mathematics.

In this unit, students are required to study:

Algebra and Functions
Co-ordinate Geometry
Sequences and Series
Trigonometry
Exponential and Logarithms
Differentiation
Integration
Vectors

This unit is assessed in the form of a written examination. Students will have 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete the assessment for this unit.

Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 13. Students may use a calculator for this assessment.

Unit 2: AS2 Applied Mathematics (40% of AS, 16% of A Level)

This unit, which assumes knowledge of Unit AS 1, covers the applied content of AS Mathematics and is compulsory for both AS and A level Mathematics. The unit addresses aspects of both mechanics (50% of the assessment) and statistics (50% of the assessment). It assesses modelling and the application of mathematics.

In this unit, students are required to study:

Section A: Mechanics

Quantities and Units
Kinematics
Forces and Newton's Laws

Section B: Statistics

Statistical Sampling
Data Presentation and Interpretation
Probability
Statistical Distributions

This unit is assessed in the form of a written examination. Students will have 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete the assessment for this unit. The examination has two sections: Section A assesses mechanics and Section B assesses statistics. Students answer all questions in both sections.

Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 13. Students may use a calculator for this assessment.

A2 MATHEMATICS

Unit 1: A21 Pure Mathematics (36% of A2)

This unit assumes knowledge of Units AS 1 and AS 2. It covers the pure content of A2 Mathematics and is compulsory for A level Mathematics.

In this unit, students are required to study:

Algebra and Functions
Co-ordinate Geometry
Sequences and Series
Trigonometry
Differentiation
Integration
Numerical Methods

This unit is assessed in the form of a written examination. Students will have 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete the assessment for this unit.

Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 14. Students may use a calculator for this assessment.

Unit 2: A22 Applied Mathematics (24% of A2)

This unit assumes knowledge of Units AS 1, AS 2 and A2 1. It covers the applied content of A2 Mathematics and is compulsory for A level Mathematics. The unit addresses aspects of both mechanics (50% of the assessment) and statistics (50% of the assessment). It assesses modelling and the application of mathematics.

In this unit, students are required to study:

Section A: Mechanics

Kinematics
Moments
Impulse and Momentum

Section B: Statistics

Probability
Statistical Distributions
Statistical Hypothesis Testing

This unit is assessed in the form of a written examination. Students will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the assessment for this unit. The examination has two sections: Section A assesses mechanics and Section B assesses statistics. Students answer all questions in both sections.

Assessment of this unit will take place at the end of Year 14. Students may use a calculator for this assessment.

Please note: To achieve an A* grade, a student must obtain the required uniform marks to achieve a Grade A and their average score for A21 (Pure) and A22 (Applied) must meet or exceed 90% of the uniform marks for these modules.

ADDITIONAL SUBJECT INFORMATION

EXTRA- CURRICULAR PROVISION

The Mathematics Department contributes extensively to the school’s extra-curricular provision. Extra-curricular activities include:

Numeracy activities for Key Stage 3
Feeder Primary School Numeracy Days
Junior Mathematical Challenge for Year 9
Intermediate Mathematical Challenge for Year 12
Senior Mathematical Challenge for Year 14
Numeracy withdrawal support
Numeracy club for Key Stage 3 pupils (Year 13 and 14 Mathematics pupils act as mentors)
Attendance at in-house lectures by visiting speakers
Visits to University Open Days in Mathematically related pathways