MATHEMATICS

All pupils study this core subject throughout Year 7 to 11. We are a department of seven well qualified mathematicians lead by an Assistant Headteacher (since February 2010) with sixteen years of experience at leading a mathematics department elsewhere. We are lucky to be extremely well equipped with a variety of resources including dynamic software, text books and practical equipment. We constantly develop our teaching and assessment methods and have as a department been invited to run a workshop at an International Conference for raising mathematics achievement through Technology in 2011.

We set pupils on entry according to the teacher assessments received from our feeder primary schools and constantly monitor progress and involve the children in this process via their progress booklets Setting is reviewed regularly to make sure every pupil is learning at an appropriate speed.

In Year 7 pupils study at a level one higher than that achieved in primary school whilst revisiting and consolidating the level already attained; this continues through Year 8.

In Year 9 we begin the GCSE, giving three years to study the content and the best chance at success for all of our pupils. All pupils are entered for a GCSE examination by the end of Year 11 at the latest. This year 9% of the whole cohort achieved A/A* grade at GCSE.

We offer a range of extra-curricular activities which all pupils are welcome to attend. The activities include a mathematical games club, a CIPHER challenge, a maths surgery and exam revision sessions. We also enter pupils each year for the National Maths Challenge and are very proud that one of our pupils has been chosen to go to the grand final Maths Olympiad this year – an outstanding achievement!