Mathematics

Mathematics

Head of Department: Mr C Price


Why Study Mathematics?

Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

Core Concepts

Throughout their journey at TBGS, students will:

  • Become fluent in skills fundamental to mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately;
  • Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language;
  • Be able to solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

The Curriculum
Intent

The mathematics curriculum is founded on the three pillars of fluency, problem-solving and mathematical reasoning, within our broad and balanced provision. We seek to introduce students to age-appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding that enable them to experience mathematics as a vibrant discipline with a fundamental role to play in their intellectual development and their appreciation of the world around them.

Implementation

We seek to instil in students a high regard for the importance of mathematics in the curriculum and beyond. Our schemes of work at key stage 3 consolidate and extend the ideas met in key stage 2 and in turn lay the foundations for the study of GCSE for all students, and A-level and IB for those who choose study at that level. Through exposition, collaboration and investigation we seek to develop robust and flexible knowledge, reliable and accurate skills and deep and interconnected understanding in students who are enquiring, self-discipled and reflective.

Impact

Our impact can be measured objectively through both internal and external formal assessment, which tracks the development of our learners over time and ensures we have an objective measure of the effectiveness of our curriculum. Less formally, we see on a day-to-day basis the increasing sophistication of our students as they tackle progressively more challenging mathematics in a range of increasingly novel contexts.



Key Stage 3 – years 7-9

Students receive 6 or 7 hours of Mathematics each fortnight.

Students cover the following broad areas: number; algebra; ratio, proportion and rates of change; geometry and measures; probability; and statistics.

Within these areas, the aim is that all students become fluent in skills fundamental to mathematics, learn to reason mathematically, and develop the ability to solve problems by applying their knowledge, skills and understanding in increasingly sophisticated situations.

Assessment and Organisation of Sets

In Year 7 students are taught in their tutor groups.

In Year 8 and 9 students are set according to attainment, based on their classwork, their achievement in assessments and performance on UKMT Maths challenges.

The students are formally assessed at the end of the Autumn term, the end of the Spring term, and in their end-of-year exams.

Units of Work


GCSE Mathematics – years 10-11
GCSE exam board: Edexcel
IGCSE Further Maths exam board: AQA

Students receive 7 hours of Mathematics each fortnight in year 10, and 6 hours in year 11.

The examination board offers two tiers of entry: foundation and higher.

At TBGS, all students are currently entered at the higher tier, and this enables them to achieve grades 9 to 4. There are three examination papers.

  • Paper 1: non-calculator (1h30)
  • Paper 2: calculator (1h30)
  • Paper 3: calculator (1h30)

Each paper will assess the students’ ability to use and apply standard techniques, reason, interpret and communicate mathematically and solve problems within mathematics and in other contexts.

In addition, boys in set 1 will follow the AQA IGCSE Further Mathematics syllabus, which will be assessed by two papers, 1h45 each.

Organisation of Sets

Boys are allocated into 6 sets in year 10 on the basis of the mathematical competence shown throughout key stage 3. All groups will be taught the same syllabus, but there will be greater emphasis on the grade 8 and 9 material in the higher sets.

Some movement between sets is possible once the course has commenced, in appropriate cases.

UNITS OF WORK


Sixth-Form Study
A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics
Exam board: Edexcel

Entrance requirement: grade 7 GCSE Mathematics for A Level, grade 8 for Further Mathematics AS/A Level

This is a linear course, with all examinations taken at the end of Year 13.

The A-level Mathematics courses offered at TBGS are designed to enable students to develop mathematical knowledge and understanding in a way which both increases students’ confidence to solve problems in the real world and their appreciation of mathematics for its own sake. Emphasis is placed upon the ability to reason logically, develop mathematical proofs and use mathematics as an effective means of communication. At this level, students should expect to experience mathematics as a form of enjoyment in relation to its practical, aesthetic and creative aspects.

We offer the following courses:

  • A-Level Mathematics: two modules of Pure Mathematics and one Applied Mathematics module containing both Mechanics and Statistics.
  • AS-Level Further Mathematics: Further Pure Mathematics module and an Applied module
  • A-Level Further Mathematics: full A Level, plus two Further Pure Mathematics modules and two Applied Mathematics modules, one in Mechanics and one in Statistics.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Mathematics is a compulsory subject in the IB Diploma programme. The International Baccalaureate Organisation recognises that pupils will have differing backgrounds, aptitudes and needs in mathematics, so with this in mind, there are different courses available.

We offer the following three courses:

  • Mathematics Higher Level Analysis and Approaches
  • Mathematics Standard Level Analysis of Approaches
  • Mathematics Standard Level Applications and Interpretations

All IB courses allow pupils to have a coherent view of mathematics, and also understand the history and development of mathematics.

Assessment in all 3 courses is made up of project work, worth 20% of the overall grade, and examinations which make up 80% of the overall grade.

The examinations take place at the end of the second year of study.

All courses include the use of a Graphical Display Calculator (GDC). Students will be required to purchase a GDC as this will be required during project work and examinations. Details of the appropriate model to buy, and how to purchase this through school, is provided at the start of the course. 


Regular Events and Enrichment

We run a daily support session for all students. Located in IT4, our specialist mathematics computer room, we offer one-to-one and online support in a variety of ways, throughout the age range. This will range from help with a specific homework task, through individual needs, to support with university applications.

In addition to study in the classroom, we also hold a number of United Kingdom Mathematics Trust events each year:

  • The Junior Mathematics Challenge for students in year 8 and below;
  • The Intermediate Mathematics Challenge for students in year 11 and below;
  • The Senior Mathematics Challenge for students in year 13 and below.

Some students are subsequently invited to take part in follow-on rounds, the Olympiad and Kangaroo challenges.

Four students from each of years 8, 10 and 12 take part in a Maths Team Challenge. This is organised annually to allow enthusiastic mathematicians to pit their wits against like-minded students from other schools locally, sometimes with progression to national rounds. Students will have attended weekly meetings to prepare themselves for the fun of the cross number, the group round, the relay race and other group activities.

Each year a number of our year 12 and 13 students will enjoy a weekly meeting with a member of staff to face the challenge of the STEP papers. These are challenging questions that take post-16 mathematics topics and really test the mathematical thinking of the students.