“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
The Department of Mathematics is made up of a dedicated team of staff who are highly dedicated to their subject area. Qualifications are offered up to GCSE Level in Mathematics. Students are encouraged to develop their independent learning and develop investigation skills which will help them in their choice of career or further study.
Please use the link below to access the Mathematics Department Curriculum Guide
Departmental Curriculum Handbook Maths
Aims of the Mathematics Department
Our aim is to provide a journey for our learners that is broad, coherent, satisfying and worthwhile. We want to encourage students to develop confidence in, and a positive attitude towards mathematics and to recognise its importance in their own lives and to society. We want to provide a firm mathematical foundation for any student who desires to study mathematics and a higher level and try to be the inspiration for them to do this. Our main aims include:
- Develop fluent knowledge, skills and understanding of mathematical methods and concepts
- Acquire, select and apply mathematical techniques to solve problems
- Reason mathematically, make deductions and inferences and draw conclusions
- Comprehend, interpret and communicate mathematical information in a variety of forms appropriate to the information and context.
We have a Curriculum Area Leader for Mathematics who is supported by a team of 9 Teaching Staff and a TA4. There is also a designated Second in Department who oversees learning for Years 7 & 8. The faculty is based in the new build.
We provide a spiral curriculum for our learners, in which aligns to the national curriculum for years 7 and 8. We build on skills and knowledge throughout and aim to reinforce skills in all areas through detailed interleaving. If you refer to our curriculum handbook you will see the structure for all year groups. Alongside the outline of the curriculum, we aim for this to be broad and balanced and our curriculum handbook will also go into detail about how we aim to do this. We also provide opportunities for extracurricular activities, which are outlined in the staff handbook.
We are a very active and hands-on Department, with each member of the team collaborating for the benefit of the pupils.
We seek to inspire students to gain an appreciation of the importance and relevance of Mathematics, as well as to excel academically.
All students are encouraged to achieve their full potential at all levels by both the teaching that takes place in lessons and the extra support provided at lunchtime and after school.
Setting:
Students are placed into sets based on their KS2 scores at the start of Y7. A baseline assessment takes place within the first few weeks and the sets are then reviewed. They are then reviewed at each of the assessment points throughout Y7 and 8 and adjusted accordingly. For each year group the sets are
1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B.
Sets 1A-3B are following the working at and above scheme of learning and sets 4A and 4B are following the working towards scheme of learning.
Years 7 and 8 both have 8 x 1 hour sessions across the two week timetable.
Years 9-11 are placed into X and Y band and an appropriate tier of entry determined, at a suitable point, based on student performance.
Years 9 to 11 receive 9 x 1 hour sessions across the two week timetable.
Assessment at GCSE
Assessment consists of 3 exams at the end of Year 11. One non-calculator paper and two calculator papers (each 33.3% weighting). Pupils are assessed at Higher Level (levels 4-9 available) or Foundation Level (levels 1-5 available). Grade 8 and 9 topics will only be taught to the to higher achieving students and mastered by the highest achievers (those likely to go on to A-level study in Mathematics)
Miss R Finch Head of Mathematics
Mrs A Halliday Assistant Head of Mathematics
Mrs Y Taylor Teacher of Mathematics
Mrs J Anderton Teacher of Mathematics
Mr T Hodgson Teacher of Mathematics/Assistant Head of Year 7
Mr Y Ali Laljee Teacher of Mathematics
Miss S Airey Teacher of Mathematics
Mrs N Walmsley Teacher of Mathematics
Mrs C Fitzpatrick Teacher of Mathematics
Miss M Clayton Clarke Teacher of Mathematics
Mrs R Asal TA4 in Mathematics
