The Mathematics Department is staffed by a dedicated team of well-qualified and specialist teachers, led by a management team under the overall direction of the Head of Department, Ms S. A. Ebbs.

The Head of Department has overall responsibility for all key stages and for the vision and ethos of the department, for curriculum development and staff development needs.

Other co-ordinators in the department take responsibility for Key Stage 3 and 4 courses and other cross phase strands such as ICT development and the provision for SEN. In particular Mrs N. Howard is in charge of Key Stage 4 and Mr C. J. Dilley is in charge of Key Stage 3.

KS3

In Key Stage 3, the curriculum is designed in line with the National Strategy. The four strands are taught in an interwoven manner to emphasise the links between them.  The mathematical processes are a core element of the curriculum and they are focused on explicitly during rich tasks and statistics projects.

KS4

Key Stage 4 forms a natural progression from Key Stage 3, where Mathematics is covered through the 4 main areas of the National Curriculum: Number, Algebra, Shape and Space and Handling Data. The majority of pupils follow Edexcel's Linear 1380 syllabus at either Foundation or Higher tier, whilst a small number of pupils follow the Modular 2544 syllabus, usually at Foundation tier.

Lower and Upper 6th - IB/A LEVEL/BTEC

In the Sixth Form: There are 5 Mathematics courses available in our Sixth Form.  The entry requirements are as follows:

  • IB Higher - GCSE Grade A* (or A if it was close to A*) and recommendation from the teacher.
  • IB Standard Mathematics - GCSE grade B is required. However, a student with only a grade B will find this course very difficult.
  • A Level - A Grade B is required.  It is highly recommended that this is achieved from set X1, Y1.
  • IB Standard Mathematics Studies - GCSE grade C is desired.
  • GCSE re-sit - For those who did not attain a C the first time.

‘Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics, I assure you that mine are greater’ Einstein

Setting

All students are taught in mixed ability classes in Year 7 until October half term, when they are set according to ability in line with school policy. Students then continue to be set in Years 8 & 9.  Setting arrangements are fluid and monitored continually as a result of regular testing and internal assessments.

In KS4, setting is based on the Target Grades as follows:

Set X1

A

Set Y1

A

Set 2

B

Set 3

D

Set 4

E
 

‘Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty - a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture.’ Bertrand Russell

Extra-Curricular Activities

The more able mathematicians in each year group enter the UK Maths Challenge each year.

We also enter various team challenges and have reached the finals of National Competitions on several occasions.

Maths Clinic runs each week. Students come with problems, homework or areas where they are in need of additional help.