Mathematics

Academic structure
Students are taught in two sets in years 7 and 8. Setting is based upon an entrance examination result and information provided by the student’s previous school regarding their mathematical ability.

Sets are regularly reviewed, adjustments being made where deemed appropriate and additional in-class support provided where necessary.

Students are challenged and encouraged in a variety of ways, especially through events and materials provided by the Leeds University-based UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT). As well as the individual Junior, Intermediate and Senior maths challenges, students take part in the Junior and Senior team maths challenges. Some also attend UKMT master classes. We have enjoyed some considerable success in recent years with qualifiers for further rounds at Olympiad level and even the National Mathematics Summer School.

A group of Sixth Formers are taken to annual lectures designed to illustrate applications of mathematics in the real world e.g. Talks by the designer of the London Eye and a statistician who explained the real value of statistics in crime, society and the lottery!

Within the curriculum, groups of gifted mathematicians from each of the top sets in years 7 to 10 take part in fortnightly Maths stimulus workshops.

In years 9, 10 and 11 students are placed in three sets for their IGCSE (Edexcel) course, which is linear with no coursework. The top sets target A* while the second set, which also takes the Higher tier aims for A/B. Those who find the subject particularly difficult study the subject in the third and smallest group (usually six to eight students) and take the Foundation tier aiming for a grade C.

At Sixth Form level, Mathematics is studied by all IB Diploma students at one of three levels: Higher (HL) which is a mix of ‘A’ level and the old Further Maths, Standard (SL) which is broadly ‘A’ level standard and Mathematical Studies (MSt) which comes midway between GCSE higher and ‘A’ level.

Each of these courses has a 20% coursework component. HL and SL students do two portfolio tasks, one algebraic, the other modelling. MSt students do one project of their own design in their first year that accounts for the whole 20%.

Students may also choose to write their extended essay on a mathematical topic of their choice and one of the mathematics staff will act as their tutor for the essay.