The first two years of senior school mathematics at Kingsley are fundamental in ensuring that our students are ready to engage in a certificated course as they enter Year 9. We help students to build confidence in this subject whilst developing their knowledge and skills in topics on number, algebra, geometry, probability, ratio and statistics. We also endeavour to help students recognise that their mathematical knowledge can be applied to other subjects across the curriculum, such as sciences and geography.
We have embedded the National Curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils who are studying mathematics can:
Inside the classroom we will set each year group as we believe that the students who find mathematics challenging will benefit from being in a smaller group, working at a steady pace and allowing more time to consolidate and practice key concepts. Lessons are varied but they will involve a combination of targeted starters, focused textbook exercises & worksheets, puzzles & games and interactive boardwork.
Students are encouraged to engage in class discussions and group work, whilst still being given opportunities to work independently. All students have a login for Mathswatch VLE, which allows them to answer interactive questions whilst having the support of guided videos. We also give each student a login for Times Tables Rock Stars, encouraging students to recall their times tables efficiently.
We have made a logical decision to start the GCSE Mathematics course in Year 9. It was agreed that this gives students increased time to complete the syllabus at a steady pace and then, in Year 11, we can focus more on revision topics and techniques. We follow the Edexcel course: (9-1) Mathematics 1Ma1. There are two tiers of entry:
Higher – grades 9 to 3 available.
Foundation – grades 1 to 5 available.
There are three papers of 1 hour and 30 minutes each. A calculator is not allowed in Paper 1. Each paper is equally weighted (80 marks each). There is no coursework requirement on either tier.
Those students who wish to pursue the subject at A Level are required to study the Higher Tier at GCSE and attain at least a grade 6.
The areas that are covered include algebra, ratio, proportion and rates of change, geometry and measures, probability and statistics. The Higher tier will cover these topics to a greater depth and include more advanced techniques.
The aims and objectives of the course are to enable students to:
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 concepts.
As students approach their post 16 options we would also use opportunities to show students how maths is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and many forms of employment.
There may be a small number of students who are unable to access the GCSE syllabus and, if this were to be the case, then we would consider other certificated options in the form of a Functional Skills qualification. This would be in agreement with the student involved, parents, classroom teacher and Deputy Head Academic.
Functional Skills is a course that enables students to develop an appreciation of the role played by mathematics in the world of work and life generally. They are encouraged to demonstrate their ability in mathematical skills, through reasoning and decision making, solving realistic problems of increasing complexity.
Some students may enter the Sixth Form, having not secured the grade 4 pass at GCSE Mathematics that is required by the government. For these students, it is imperative that they continue to study Mathematics in some aspect. Many students will resit their Maths GCSE (as early as two months into their Sixth Form course) as they will require the grade 4 in order to progress through their chosen Sixth Form pathway. Other students may opt for Functional Skills qualifications as this supports their programme of work in Year 12 and 13. Both courses have already been detailed above.
This course is suitable for students who have achieved at least a grade 6/7 in GCSE Mathematics (or equivalent). Mathematics A-level is a combination of Pure and Applied Mathematics in the ratio 2:1.
Pure Mathematics - this covers a wide range of topics such as algebra, trigonometry and calculus. Many of the ideas students meet in pure mathematics are interesting in their own right they also serve as an important foundation for other branches of mathematics.
Applied Mathematics this covers Mechanics and Statistics. Mechanics deals with the action of forces on objects (e.g. the motion of cars, the flight of a cricket ball through the air or the stresses in bridges). In Statistics students learn how to analyse and summarise numerical data and extend their understanding of probability.
All qualifications are 100% examination and most students will take three exams to gain an A level at the end of the course. Some students may take an AS exam at the end of the first or second year.
An AS in mathematics is very valuable as a supporting subject to many courses at A-level and degree level, especially in the Sciences and Geography, Psychology, Sociology and Medical courses. A-level Mathematics is a much sought-after qualification for entry to a wide variety of full-time courses in higher education. Higher Education courses or careers that either require A-level Mathematics or are strongly related include: Economics, Medicine, Architecture, Engineering, Accountancy, Teaching, Psychology, Physics, ICT and Computing.
This course is suitable for students who have achieved at least a grade 7/8 in GCSE Mathematics (or equivalent). This is a double subject and students will be awarded two A-levels, so it counts as two options.
Rather than study A-level Mathematics in two years students will study the full course in year one. The A level course is described above. In the second year of the A-level studies students will study A-level Further Mathematics. This course broadens their understanding of mathematics and introduces new, often challenging, but always beautiful, mathematical concepts. Very much like the Mathematics A-level, students will study a combination of Core Pure and Applied Mathematics in the ratio 2:1
Core Pure Mathematics. Students will meet the complex plane, matrices, polar coordinates, hyperbolic functions and proof. For many students these are areas of mathematics that will have been completely outside their previous mathematical experience. It is that discovery of a whole landscape of new mathematics that makes this course so attractive.
Applied Mathematics: Further Mechanics and Decision Mathematics. Further Mechanics includes the study of forces, acceleration and equilibrium, tension within springs, particle collisions, work and power, momentum and kinetic and potential energy. In Decision mathematics students will learn how to solve problems involving algorithms, graph theory, networks, systems, planning and resource allocation, the maximisation of profit and the minimisation of costs.
All qualifications are 100% examination and most students will take a total of six exams at the end of the second year - three exams to gain an A level in Mathematics and three exams to gain an A-level in Further Mathematics. Some students chose to take an AS after the first year of each course.
An AS in Mathematics or Further Mathematics would be very valuable as a supporting subject to many courses at A-level and degree level, especially in the Sciences and Geography, Psychology, Sociology and Medical courses. A-level Mathematics is a much sought-after qualification for entry to a wide variety of full-time courses in higher education.
A-level Further Mathematics is increasingly expected for acceptance onto courses at Russell Group universities and is desirable for mathematics or science courses in higher education. Higher Education courses or careers that either require A-level Mathematics or Further Mathematics or are strongly related include: Economics, Medicine, Architecture, Engineering, Accountancy, Teaching, Psychology, Physics, ICT and Computing.
