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Mathematics
BackWELCOME
What is maths?
Is it numbers? Is it algebra? Is it trigonometry? Is it statistics? The list could go on.
A better question would be “what makes a good mathematician?”
A good mathematician has the ability to reason their way through complex problems, finding the most efficient methods and working out what maths tools are needed.
During their maths lessons we help students build up the tools needed as well as giving them opportunities to develop and improve their problem solving skills. Appreciating that you will not always get things right first time is important; often when improving your maths skills as much can be learnt from a wrong method or solution as it can from solving the problem first time. Resilience and perseverance are essential traits to develop so that you are not tempted to give up at the first hurdle.
I am often asked what careers a maths qualification will lead on to. Not an easy question to answer but it is fair to say that people with good maths skills and qualifications are sought after because of their good problem solving skills. Colyton students who have studied maths at A level have gone on to careers in engineering, finance, architecture, computing and teaching, to name but a few. There are less obvious career routes e.g. business management, medical research, that employ maths graduates for their problem solving skills and logical minds.
As a department we are all fascinated by our subject. We derive pleasure from encouraging our students to persevere with their maths in the hope that it will open up avenues that they may wish to follow in the future.
- Mr Davis, Head of Mathematics
Lower Years Maths
The lower years curriculum will involve the following:
| Year 7 | Year 8 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Autumn Term |
Coordinates |
Graph shapes (plotting and sketching) |
|
Spring Term |
Development of algebraic techniques |
Data Handling (both discrete and continuous data) |
|
Summer Term |
Multiples, factors and their applications |
Basic rules of indices |
Middle Years (Y9-11) Maths
The middle years curriculum will involve the following:
| Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Autumn Term |
Venn Diagrams and Probability Linear graphs and regions Linear Sim Equations Review of combined transformations Vector Geometry |
Circle theorems (cont.) Proportionality Lower and upper bounds Graph shapes Gradient of and area under graphs |
Custom work to suit individual groups/individuals Fully consolidate GCSE skills Problem solving using a mix of topics and contexts. FSMQ additional maths (to stretch those who are fully confident with all aspects of the GCSE content |
|
Spring Term |
Surds and Indices Ratio and similarity Pythagoras and Trigonometry |
Area and volume Statistics Further quadratics (including quadratic and linear sim equations) Advanced Trigonometry |
|
|
Summer Term |
Sequences and algebra review Quadratics – plotting and equation solving Circle Theorems |
Algebraic fractions Graph transformations Review of similarity and congruence Final probability |
|
Upper Years Maths
The upper years curriculum will involve the following:
| Year 12 | Year 13 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Autumn Term |
Teacher 1
Quadratics and polynomials Graphs and their shapes Graph transformations Coordinate geometry and equations of circles Exponentials Trigonometry Teacher 2
Equations of tangents and normal Vectors Kinematics |
Teacher 1
Normal dist and hypothesis testing Review of proof Proof by contradiction Sequences and series Arithmetic and Geometric sequences and series Numerical methods Teacher 2
Moments about a point Mechanical modelling Vectors in 3D Resolving Forces Forces in equilibrium Friction Projectile motion Vectors and calulus in kinematics |
|
Spring Term |
Teacher 1
Standard deviation Binomial expansion Probability Discrete distributions Teacher 2
Connected particles Radians and trigonometry Small angle approximations Trig identities Area between curves and trapezium rule Points of inflection, convex and concave functions Calculus with trig functions Product, quotient and chain rule |
Teacher 1
Pearsons product moment correlation Hypothesis testing and correlation Further calculus Teacher 2
Parametric curves Parametric and implicit differentiations Differential equations |
|
Summer Term |
Sampling and hypothesis testing Conditional probability Summer exam preparation, exams and review Functions (including modulus) Partial fractions Binomial expansion (for any rational power) |
Exam preparation and final exams |
