Mathematics
Head of Subject: Mr T Forshaw and Mr A Eastwick
The Mathematics Faculty at Mayflower School comprises of eleven well-qualified, experienced full-time teachers who teach in a suite of dedicated Mathematics classrooms which are equipped with interactive white boards. There is a faculty office where records and resources are stored, and where staff can meet and work.
Subject Vision
Our vision is to produce numerate problem solvers who are happy to work independently and take risks that will lead to academic success and encourage a love of learning throughout their lives.
We aim to provide a mathematics curriculum to all students from Year 7 to 13 that is structured in such a way that over time students improve their understanding of mathematics and gradually become more fluent in mathematical language and communication.
Mathematics is a confidence based subject and as such we intend to ensure that students have a positive experience of assessments and have the opportunity to move sets if they progress. The most important element of teaching mathematics is the face to face teaching that students get in the classroom. In order that we can achieve our aims we intend to deliver good to outstanding lessons.
Finally, where possible we intend to give students access to mathematics away from the classroom to support their learning and appreciation of mathematics in the wider world.
The Mathematics Faculty holds annual events to enrich the curriculum. These include Number Day, World Maths Day, Puzzle days and Mathematics Challenges throughout the year.
Key Stage 3 Intent and Implementation
Mathematics offers a 2 year KS3 curriculum in Year 7 and 8, with Year 9 being the foundation year of GCSE, enabling a key grounding in Mathematics for all students, with the opportunity in Year 9 to begin ensuring that students are on the correct tier of entry pathway for GCSE.
Classes are taught in sets throughout Years 7 to 11. Students are continually monitored through their class work, homework reviews, Mathematics ICT work and regular assessments. We regularly check to ensure that students are making progress and are in the appropriate set.
Students are taught to develop their mathematical skills in a manner that encourages confidence to read, write and talk about the subject in a variety of ways. The ability to reason logically, to classify, to generalise and to prove is fostered. Students learn to apply mathematics to everyday situations, to recognise when and how a situation may be represented mathematically and to select appropriate mathematical methods to solve it.
Mathematics is about problem solving, checking and interpreting results and clear presentation of solutions. An ability to do so is developed by conducting individual and group enquiry and experimentation. I this context, extended pieces of work of a practical and investigative kind are essential parts of the course.
The life for which students are being prepared is becoming increasingly complicated. An understanding, together with a foundation appropriate to further study of mathematics and other disciplines, is an important part of every student’s education.
Key Stage 4 Intent and Implementation
GCSE Mathematics
The GCSE Mathematics course has now changed and from June 2017 students will be sitting a new type of GCSE examination. The examination board used will be Edexcel. You are taught to develop your mathematical skills in a manner that encourages confidence to read, write and talk about the subject in a variety of ways. You learn to apply mathematics to everyday situations, to recognise when and how a situation may be represented mathematically and to select appropriate mathematical methods to solve it.
In most examinations, the use of a calculator is expected. A basic scientific type is recommended; suitable calculators at competitive prices are available from the Finance Office.
The Mathematics Faculty does not provide calculators for students; so, you must provide one yourself.
CONTENT OF THE COURSE
The new course is broken down into the following categories:
Number
Algebra
Ratio, proportion and rates of change
Geometry and measures
Probability
Statistics
ASSESSMENT METHODS
The GCSE is examined in June of Year 11. The examination consists of three written papers, a non-calculator and two calculator papers.
Students who take the higher paper can obtain grades 9 to 4.
Students who take the foundation paper can obtain grades 5 to 1.
EXAM BOARD: Edexcel
SPECIFICATION: 1MA0
For further details, please click on the link below: