MathematicsMrs Jasmina Nikoloska – Co-Head of Department
Doctor Jacqueline Juden – Co-Head of Department Students are taught by a team of passionate teachers who focus on building up the mathematical competency of their pupils over their journey from Y7 to Y11. Following a Mastery approach, the first two years are focused on developing their understanding of arithmetic and algebra, while linking every topic to each other as well as demonstrating their applicability in other subjects across the curriculum (sciences, but also geography, technology, computer science, etc). Once pupils reach Y9, the solid foundation they have built during Y7 and 8 allows them to progress through the more advanced areas of the syllabus and make rapid progress as they reach their exam year. Every year, the school celebrates numeracy for a week around the 14/03 (3.14 – one might recognise the number Pi), where many subjects join in and focus on where mathematical skills are used in their subjects and external speakers introduce aspects of mathematics they are not familiar with (role of Maths in magic, in science, history of Maths or numbers, applications of mathematics in industry, etc). More generally, pupils enjoy their Maths lessons, which is the most popular subject selected at A-Level. Further Maths A-Level has been offered for many years for the keenest mathematicians where we work in partnership with Newlands. In summary, at Desborough, we believe that everyone can learn Maths, and we prove it by the results students achieve. Key Stage 3
KS3 Maths scheme of work 2020 What will my child learn? Students in years 7 & 8 spend the majority of their Maths lessons focusing on the fundamental aspects of the subject – algebra and number work. We believe the topics that fall under this umbrella are the pillars of mathematics and that real progress in the subject can only be made when they have been mastered. This allows for a smooth transition into Y9 where we build on the mathematical foundations previously laid down. How is maths taught at Desborough? Teachers are encouraged to break the mould of normal lessons and explore new approaches that foster and maintain the student’s passion for the subject. We use a huge bank of carefully chosen resources to ensure that every child is working at their own appropriate level, which in turn allows each individual to make progress at their own pace. There are also opportunities to take part in national tournaments, such as the UKMT Maths Challenge, and we have a number of events and competitions during Numeracy Week. How is maths assessed? Students sit an exam at the end of every term, based on the topics that have been covered in the weeks before. These are used to monitor individual progress and so that subsequent lessons can be used to build on the areas of weakness identified. Students are also required to complete a mini quiz each week – great emphasis is put on students taking the initiative and identifying their own topics to work on through Dedicated Improvement and Reflection Time (DIRT). Year 7 Term 1 – Geometry (basics of drawing and measuring), Number work (place value, significant figures, 4 operations with positive and negative numbers, types of numbers) Term 2 – Fractions and Ratios, plus using the Bar model Term 3 – Algebra – simplifying, substitution, solving and brackets Term 4 – Area and Perimeter, Angles and Angle Reasoning Term 5 – Coordinates, Straight lines and Sequences Term 6 – Decimals and Transformations Year 8 Term 1 – Number Revision, Estimating, Fractions & Probability Term 2 – Indices, More Advanced Algebraic Manipulation & Angle Reasoning Term 3 – Ratios, Proportions, Percentages & Calculators Term 4 – Functions, Graphs, Sequences & Inequalities Term 5 – Data Handling & Statistical Graphs, Perimeter, Area & Volume Term 6 – Measures, Construction & Transformations Year 9 Term 1 – Number Revision, Indices, Standard Form, Further Algebraic Manipulation, Functions Term 2 – Trigonometry, Further Area, Perimeter & Volume, & Further Transformations Term 3 – Revision of Fractions & Algebraic Fractions, Advanced Percentages, Ratios & Proportions Term 4 – Linear Graphs, Simultaneous & Quadratic Equations Term 5 – Measures, Surds & Geometrical Reasoning Term 6 – Construction, Probability & Data Handling Students sit an exam at the end of every term, based on the topics that have been covered in the weeks before. These are used to monitor individual progress and so that subsequent lessons can be used to build on the areas of weakness identified. Students are also required to complete a mini quiz each week – great emphasis is put on students taking the initiative and identifying their own topics to work on through Dedicated Improvement and Reflection Time (DIRT). Year 7 Term 1 – Geometry (basics of drawing and measuring), Number work (place value, significant figures, 4 operations with positive and negative numbers, types of numbers) Term 2 – Fractions and Ratios, plus using the Bar model Term 3 – Algebra – simplifying, substitution, solving and brackets Term 4 – Area and Perimeter, Angles and Angle Reasoning Term 5 – Coordinates, Straight lines and Sequences Term 6 – Decimals and Transformations Year 8 Term 1 – Number Revision, Estimating, Fractions & Probability Term 2 – Indices, More Advanced Algebraic Manipulation & Angle Reasoning Term 3 – Ratios, Proportions, Percentages & Calculators Term 4 – Functions, Graphs, Sequences & Inequalities Term 5 – Data Handling & Statistical Graphs, Perimeter, Area & Volume Term 6 – Measures, Construction & Transformations Year 9 Term 1 – Number Revision, Indices, Standard Form, Further Algebraic Manipulation, Functions Term 2 – Trigonometry, Further Area, Perimeter & Volume, & Further Transformations Term 3 – Revision of Fractions & Algebraic Fractions, Advanced Percentages, Ratios & Proportions Term 4 – Linear Graphs, Simultaneous & Quadratic Equations Term 5 – Measures, Surds & Geometrical Reasoning Term 6 – Construction, Probability & Data Handling Key Stage 4
What will my child learn? By year 10, students have mastered the core concepts of the subject and started to look at more challenging topics in year 9. The focus now turns to problem solving to try to tackle the new GCSE exam questions and students are put into sets to ensure they are working at the best pace for themselves. Once in year 11, teachers are given great flexibility with what they teach. They do not follow a set scheme of work but are instead encouraged to focus on the topics that their students need the most help with. This targeted approach ensures all students make great progress. How is maths taught at Desborough? Like at KS3, teachers continue to use teaching material from a wide range of publishers as well as creating their own in order to deliver a continuous flow of lessons and ensure that every pupil progresses. Participation in national tournaments, such as the UKMT Maths Challenge, continues, as well as visits from more guest speakers. How is maths assessed? Our department strongly believes that repeated practice and assessment are key to mastering mathematics. Students in year 10 complete a GCSE past paper in exam conditions at the end of every term. This allows them to get familiar with the demand of the GCSE exam early, as well as regularly testing topics that they might otherwise forget. Year 11 students sit a mock paper under full exam conditions every two weeks. These are specimen or past papers published by the British exam boards. Year 10 Term 1 – Number Work, Rounding, Estimating & Surds Term 2 – Algebra Manipulation, Linear & Quadratic Equations/Graphs Term 3 – Angle Reasoning, Trigonometry, Area & Volume Term 4 – Ratios, Proportions, Compound Interest & Probability Term 5 – Functions, Speed/Distance/Time & Sequences Term 6 – Consolidation Year 11 Program of study decided by each Y11 classroom teacher, based on performance in bi-weekly mocks. Key Stage 5
What will my child learn? AS & A level maths allows the students to take the skills learnt from GCSE and apply them to real world problems. The course is split into three modules: Pure, Mechanics and Statistics. The Pure side carries the most weighting towards their final grade and looks to expand on the student’s knowledge of core mathematical topics. Mechanics and Statistics are applied branches of maths and focus on solving problems involving forces and large data sets. There is also the opportunity to study Further Maths, which follows a similar path to the normal maths AS/A level but delves into topics in much greater detail. How is AS/A level maths taught at Desborough? The courses are taught through a mixture of classroom learning, drop-in sessions and independent study time. Classes are usually shared between two teachers to allow students to experience different approaches to solving problems. Our departments bank of resources is both vast and routinely scrutinised to ensure we use the best possible worksheets. We have recently started using the latest textbook from Oxford University Press, which is showing to have a fantastic impact on the way student’s work independently. How is maths assessed? Students on the new A level course sit their real exams at the end of year 13. This allows us plenty of time to cover all content and intervene on topics that students are struggling with. Similar to the lower school, mock exams are held at the end of each term based on the topics covered in class in previous weeks. These mocks are set up to be challenging – just like the real exams. Key Topics Mathematics · The Discriminant · The Factor & Remainder Theorems · Binomial Expansion · Algebraic Division · Trigonometry · Differentiation · Integration · Circles & Tangents · Logarithms · Series & Sequences · Kinematics (Mechanics) · Newton’s Laws of Motion (Mechanics) · Binomial Distribution (Statistics) · Hypothesis Testing (Statistics) Further Mathematics · Complex Numbers · Matrices · Proof by Induction · Rational Functions & Their Graphs · Summing Series · Roots & Coefficients · Discrete Mathematics · Advanced Mechanics Pheidippides Times Table Challenge
All time leaderboard
Curriculum Maps
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright Desborough College part of Pioneer Educational Trust 2024. Site powered by Venture Digital
