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St Alban's Catholic High School

St Alban's
Catholic High School

Mathematics

Department Aims

At St Alban’s, regardless of the topic being covered, it is the aim of those teaching Mathematics to provide opportunities for all students to:

  • Use and apply mathematics in practical tasks, in real-life problems and within mathematics itself
  • Work on problems that pose a challenge
  • Encounter and consider different lines of mathematical argument
  • Succeed
  • Enjoy mathematics

The Mathematics Department seeks to ensure that each child learns effectively through a number of strategies and teaching styles such as:

  • Open ended tasks
  • Diagnostic questioning
  • Problem solving
  • Investigative tasks
  • Class discussion
  • Individual and Group work
  • Practical work
  • Book and worksheets
  • Show me boards

In Years 7-11 the students are taught in sets, but it is our policy to allow students to move sets when appropriate, encouraging scholarship.

GCSE students will study towards the Edexcel (Pearson) specification.

Order of Teaching 

Here is the outline of the order of teaching for Years 7-11. Students study a series of twelve different modules.

AUTUMN Module
Week 1 1 Number
Week 2
Week 3 4a Proportion
Week 4
Week 5 2 Calculations
Week 6
Week 7 Consolidation & Assessment
Half term
Week 8 8 Angles
Week 9
Week 10 5 Equations then Formulae
Week 11
Week 12 3 Construction
Week 13
Week 14 Consolidation & Assessment
SPRING Module
Week 1 6 Sequences then Graphs
Week 2
Week 3 9 Mensuration 
Week 4
Week 5 1 Number
Week 6 2 Calculations
Week 7 Consolidation & Assessment
Half term
Week 8 10 Probability
Week 9
Week 10 4b Proportion
Week 11
Week 12 Consolidation & Assessment
Week 13

 

SUMMER Module
Week 1 7 Transformations
Week 2
Week 3 11 Data
Week 4
Week 5 4c Proportion
Half term
Week 6 5 Equations then Formulae
Week 7
Week 8 8 Angles
Week 9
Week 10 6 Sequences then Graphs
Week 11
Week 12 Consolidation & Assessment 
Week 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hegarty Maths 

St. Alban’s has a subscription with Hegarty Maths – www.hegartymaths.com

This is a superb website, which includes short videos and quizzes for every maths skill required for the high school curriculum and GCSE Maths. Much of the homework for years 7-10 will be using Hegarty Maths.

Maths Department Website 

More information about all of the maths courses and resources can be found on our maths department website – www.stalbansmaths.com

Ipswich Maths 

This website has past exam papers and mark schemes with video ‘screencasts’ to support study towards GCSE. This is especially useful for Years 10 & 11 and is regularly used for homeworks – www.ipswichmaths.co.uk

Pupil Premium Students 

To support Pupil Premium students in Year 11 we offer 1-to-1 tutoring with Sixth Form mathematicians either during lunchtimes or after school.

There are also homework clubs for Pupil Premiums to attend after school as well as an extension maths challenge club at lunchtime.

We also provide all of these students with a few revision workbook and GCSE

Equipment 

It is vital that your child comes to lesson with all the necessary equipment. All students should bring to every lesson:

  • Pen
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Rubber
  • Protractor
  • Pair of compasses
  • Calculator (recommended Casio FX83GTX)

A stationery pack including all the above equipment (plus more) can be purchased on ParentMail.

A Level Mathematics & Further Mathematics 

A Level Mathematics students will study towards the Edexcel (Pearson) specification.

A Level Further Mathematics will study towards the AQA specification.

 

An outline of the two courses are as follows:

 

A Level Mathematics

Mathematical argument, language and proof

Mathematical problem solving

Mathematical modelling

Proof

Algebra and functions

Coordinate geometry in the (x,y) plane

Sequences and series

Trigonometry

Exponentials and logarithms

Differentiation

Integration

Numerical methods

Vectors

Statistical sampling

Data presentation and interpretation

Probability

Statistical distributions

Statistical hypothesis testing

Quantities and units in mechanics

Kinematics

Forces and Newton's laws

Moments

This will be assessed by three two-hour examinations at the end of the two-year course.

 

A Level Further Mathematics

Proof

Complex numbers

Matrices

Further Algebra and Functions

Further Calculus

Further Vectors

Polar coordinates

Hyperbolic functions

Differential equations

Trigonometry

Numerical Methods

Discrete Mathematics

Further Mechanics

This will be assessed by three two-hour examinations at the end of the two-year course.

Mathematical Studies 

We offer the one-year level-3 course in Mathematical Studies (sometimes called Core Maths or Use of Maths). This course is focussed on problem solving and the application of mathematics.  This is ideal for students who are studying A-levels in subjects such as geography, psychology, sociology and history, which now have increased mathematical content.

This is a one-year course with two examinations at the end of Year 12, which also carry UCAS points to help applications to universities.