The Mathematics Department occupies the ground floor of the Academy Building and contains 8 classrooms each equipped with an overhead projector. One room is equipped with an interactive white-board. There is a Departmental Office which doubles as a store-room. The department also makes use of a small teaching room for the lowest teaching sets.
There are currently 12 full-time equivalent members of staff plus 3 members of the Leadership team who teach some Maths classes.
All pupils study Mathematics through Key Stage 3 up to GCSE and then around 20 take the subject at A-level in each of Year 12 and Year 13. At A Level, students have the choice of studying a Core Maths and Mechanics course or a Core and Statistics course. There is also the opportunity to take an extra A Level, called Further Mathematics, for appropriate students, as well as being prepped for Oxbridge entrance if required.
In Year 7 the focus is on teaching non-calculator skills and improving basic numeracy. Topics covered include the 4 rules of Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Decimals and Money, Shapes, Graphs, Fractions and Percentages. As students progress through Key Stage 3 the content of their lessons will differ depending on which set they are in.
Throughout Key Stage 3, all students will sit past exam papers at regular intervals. Levels are used in their assessment throughout years 7 - 9 and targets will be based on these levels.
Mathematics is taught in sets from Day One in Year 7 based on Key Stage 2 results and CAT tests.
From 2006, mathematics at GCSE level will be taught in just 2 tiers, Higher and Foundation. Students doing the Higher tier can obtain grades from C up to A*. Students doing the Foundation tier can obtain grades from G up to C. Students in the lowest set will also take an Entry Level certificate as well as their GCSE. The examining board for this exam is Edexcel.
From 2008, no coursework will be required at GCSE level. The modules will be taken at the following times:
At GCSE level, we have just started a modular course, with great initial success. Year 10 have recently sat the Data Handling module and 65% of students achieved a C grade or better. This compares with the following results.
GCSE C+ rate 2003 22% (combined Coulby/Brackenhoe)
Although this rate appears slow and steady, we have performed well as a department when measured against expectation.
In general, the exam results for the department show good progress throughout every year group, leading to students overachieving when faced with external exams. The department and the school has a very supportive network in place so staff always have other colleagues to call upon in times of need.
We follow the Edexcel A-level syllabus. All students take 3 modules in the Year 12 and 3 in the Year 13. Every AS Level student takes 2 Core modules, C1 and C2, plus their applied module, either Mechanics 1 or Statistics 1 as appropriate. In their A2 year, they will all take C3 and C4 plus their second applied module. We are also in our second year of offering Further Maths to A level. From our first group to complete the course, we produced the school's first Cambridge student, who has gone there to read Mathematics. Modules offered include all Mechanics, Statistics and Further Pure Modules, plus Decision 1, D2 and STEP preparation. Students do have the chance to resit earlier modules, but this is not encouraged. The cost of entry for any resit exam must be met by the student.
A and AS Level Scheme of Work (Excel Spreadsheet)