A word cloud showing the most common terms used in the NEW modular GCSE syllabus.

An emphasis on using and understanding the Maths is clear

The best ever results were acheived by JRCS Maths students in Summer 2011.

63% of the students acheived a C grade or above for GCSE Maths
This is higher than the National Average which is 58%

62% made 3 levels of progrss between KS2 and GCSE.
The expected progress for all students is 3 levels

All of our Year 13 students passed their A-Level Maths course, with 8 out of 13 of them achieving a C grade or higher. 1 student was awarded a B grade in A-Level Maths and a B grade in A-Level Further Maths.

5 of the Yr13 students are now going on to University to study Maths based degrees.

Overview

The Maths department works towards the principle of ‘Success for All’. We do this by

• Providing suitable opportunities for students at all levels to achieve a deep understanding from their learning.
• Helping learners develop transferable skills and apply knowledge in unfamiliar contexts
• Developing a desire in our students for further learning or discovery
• Developing a higher level of pupil independence
• Promoting high standards of student conduct

Staff List

Key Stage 3
All students follow a scheme of work which aims to help them develop a good understanding of fundamental maths. All students will study some aspects of number, algebra, geometry and measure, and statistics. They will also be using the Maths to solve unfamiliar problems and develop team/group working skills. The Schemes of Work that are followed are levelled meaning that pupis are working on topics that will help them move forward in their own Maths studies.

Key Stage 4
Students will follow the Edexcel modular GCSE in Maths ( 2MB01). This course has three discrete modules which will be sat at the following times:

Unit 1 - Statistics and Probability - Students take the module exam in Summer of Year 9
Unit 2 - Algebra and Geometry - Students take module exam in March of Year 10
Unit 3 - More advanced Algebra and Geometry - Students take the module in March or Summer of Year 11

There are Higher and Foundation tiers in all these modules and the choice of tier will be made based on the students prior results and ability in order to maximise their final GCSE grade.

Key Stage 5
Students who choose to continue studying Mathematics after Year 11 will work on the Edexcel A-Level course. This is a modular course which introduces new mathematical topics, such as calculus, surds, logarithms and expontentials. These topics are also under pinned by further work on higher level algebra, trigonometry and graphing, as well as applied topics in Mathematics. Students need to have achieved a GCSE grade B or above to be accepted on this A-Level course.

There is also the opportunity to study an extra A-Level in Further Maths. This is taught during twilight sessions (2 per week) at Eastbury school as part of the Southern Consortium. This is best suited to students who achieved an A or A* grade at GCSE.

Students who wish to improve their GCSE grade may get the opportunity to resit their GCSE Maths exams during Year 12.

Homework Policy
Homework in the Maths department is seen as a very important part of the students’ learning. Homework gives the chance for students to consolidate their learning from the lessons and practice new skills. It also allows them to explore the Maths presented to help them develop a deeper understanding and draw links between the topic areas.

Students should expect to have one piece of homework set most weeks in Years 7 – 11. These homework tasks should be no longer than 30mins in Years 7, 8 and 9, and should be no longer than 45 mins in Years 10 and 11.

A-Level students should expect to be working independently (outside of lessons) for a minimum of 5 hours a week.

Students who find their homework difficult should approach any of the Maths Department for support or guidance in their work.

The sort of tasks that the students could be set include:

• Researching some information or data for use in a future lesson
• Creating a poster/revision page/presentation on a particular topic
• Attempting some mathematical questions  
• Completing an exam paper
• Creating some questions on a given topic to be used in a future lesson

Marking Policy
The Maths department follows the whole school assessment policy. By using a Task Marking approach, the students should be able to focus on areas they need to improve on the most and actually see progress in their work on a day to day basis.

Useful links

www.mymaths.co.uk 

www.geogebra.org (Dynamic Geometry Software)

www.edexcel.com (directs you to the new Edexcel GCSE Maths webpages)