Mathematics

Ethos & Values

The aim of the Mathematics Curriculum area is that students will have the chance to enhance and develop…

• an appreciation of the place of mathematics in society, including historical and cultural influences;
• an ability to think mathematically - precisely, logically and creatively;
• a willingness, resilience and ability to work independently and co-operatively;
• an ability to understand mathematical ideas and to communicate them in a variety of modes;
• an appreciation of the ways mathematics is used;
• the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to apply a range of mathematical concepts to situations which may arise in their own lives;
• an ability to use mathematics across the curriculum;
• a good understanding of mathematics within different job sectors;
• a firm foundation for appropriate further study.

In addition:

• All members of the department uphold high expectations of their students and deliver high quality lessons, through differentiated teaching and learning strategies.
• A focus is held within the department to enhance children's quality of learning, by raising attainment through effective targeting and reflection from previous assessments.

Knowledge and skill

Students have the opportunity to deepen and broaden their knowledge, skills and understanding by developing resilience, creativity and their problem-solving strategies.

• They will develop mathematical communication by solving problems using mathematical methods.
• They will be given the chance to develop the necessary reading skills needed to understand the majority of mathematical questions posed to them allowing them to formulate a precise and accurate response.
• Through the means of varied assessment, students will be given the opportunity to engage in a process of self-reflection allowing them not only to see any mistakes but understand why and how they were made to try and prevent them from being made again.
• They will have the opportunity to carry out investigations thus developing creative thinking by solving unfamiliar problems, posing questions and producing reasoned arguments.
• They will learn about the historical and cultural development of mathematics where appropriate.
• They will represent problems using appropriate variables, symbols, diagrams and models.
• They will also learn how to make and justify conjectures and generalisations.
• They will experience a wide range of learning styles from enthusiastic specialist teachers that incorporate both individual and group style activities.

Resources and Facilities

Every classroom in the mathematics department contains an interactive whiteboard, with each teacher having access to a selection of educational textbooks and furniture to accommodate between 28-32 students. In all the classrooms, wall space is positively used to create a variety of things such as a community feel, cross-curricular topics, careers in maths and inspiration to all.

All students will have access to the online site ‘MyMaths’ where they will have their own personal account for individual learning allowing the enhancement of education from the classroom at home. In addition to this, all staff members encourage students to use ‘Corbett Maths’ as a further tool to aide their development in their mathematical journey.

Course and qualifications

KS3

Year 7, 8 and 9 students follow a broad and extensive curriculum based on key mathematical concepts in order to develop a secure knowledge base to allow for high levels of progressions into key stage 4.

KS4

Students follow the Edexcel GCSE course.

Pupils take a tier of entry appropriate to their ability. Foundation tier covers GCSE grades 1–5 and Higher tier covers GCSE grades 4–9.

Alan Turing week

One topic covered during the year 9 scheme of work, that the mathematics department is proud to showcase, is that of Mathematician Alan Turing. During Year 9, all students will have a week-based primarily on the work carried out by Alan Turing during the Second World War. Whilst not really being recognised during his own life time, in recent years the work that Alan Turing carried out during WW2 has hugely come to the forefront of people's minds to the point that, had Alan Turing not achieved what he had during his life, with the success of his Enigma machine, the course of history could have been very different.

Students will have the chance to learn both about the academic life (and perhaps now more poignantly) the personal life of Mr Turing. This will be achieved via a vast array of resources across different subjects and lessons as long side a viewing of the film “The Imitation Game” which allows the students to both read and visualise what Mr Turing went through during his short life.

Here at Somercotes Academy, we in the maths department feel that it is hugely relevant for the work of Mr Turing to be studied in this way as we feel that Mr Turing was one of the most under-appreciated mathematicians of the 21st Century and should be recognised for the work he did.

Statistics

As of September 2022, aspiring maths students in year 10 have been offered to complete additional statistics lessons with the hope to gain an additional GCSE in this topic. This is taken up by students outside learning hours.

Learning Outside The Classroom

Revision and support

GCSE students are offered consistent support towards their exams by way of morning intervention, lunch time revision sessions, after school revision classes as well as sessions during school holidays.

In Year 11, students will have the ability to access the vast number of resources that the school has to offer to aide their revision. Students will have access to revision cards available for both the higher and foundation tiered papers which can be loaned out and brought back at the end of the year at no additional cost to the students. Should students wish to purchase their own versions of the revision cards, they can be purchased at www.corbettmaths.com.

Where does this take me in the future?

• Mathematics provides skills for life, which are important of all aspects of a modern society.
• It provides the tools for students to develop skills in but not exclusive to science, engineering, technology, and economics.
• It prepares students to move into the workplace. The skills developed within the study of Mathematics are amongst some of the most highly rated by employers, such as the ability to collect, represent and interpret data.
• The study of Mathematics enhances students' skills needed to undertake a wide range of qualifications and careers such as access to apprenticeships, enrolment into the forces, engineering, computer game designing, meteorology, medical statistics and teaching.
• Mathematics helps students to think and function independently and to become financially capable.
• It also provides progression into Higher and Further Education.