Kenilworth School
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Maths

Mathematics teachers aim to:

  • awaken and kindle interest in the fascinating nature of Mathematics
  • raise self-esteem of pupils, develop confidence in ability to achieve success
  • encourage communication of mathematical ideas from both a teacher-pupil and pupil-pupil point of view
  • develop use of ICT as aid to learning and understanding
  • reward achievement with written and or spoken praise
  • create a supportive climate in the classroom in which it is safe to give a ‘wrong’ answer
  • develop mutual respect between teacher/pupil and pupil/pupil
  • set work which is interesting and challenging with a time limit for completion so a reasonable pace is set for the lesson
  • give each pupil a positive experience of mathematics in their time at Kenilworth School

Setting of pupils

We set students by ability in Mathematics from years 7 to 11. Students are continually assessed during the year and are able to change sets if a test indicates that such a move is appropriate.

Year 7 and 9
In Years 7 and 9 the students are split into thirds, each third having four ability sets.

Year 8, 10 and 11
In Years 8, 10 and 11 the students are split into North and South with each halve containing 6 ability sets.

 

Enrichment

As well as being taught Mathematics, students are encouraged to broaden their depth and enrichment of the subject by participating in challenges that are set by the UKMT based at Leeds University. There are 3 levels of challenge:

  • Junior Mathematics Challenge (JMC) taken by top sets in years 7 and 8
  • Intermediate Mathematics Challenge (IMC) taken by top sets in years 9, 10 and 11
  • Senior Mathematics Challenge (SMC) taken by pupils in years 12 and 13

There is also 2 Regional Team Maths Challenges, Junior (years 8 and 9) held at a local comprehensive school and Senior (years 12 and 13) held at Warwick University.

At Kenilworth School, the maths department also run in-house Team Maths Challenges during the school year. Winning team names are displayed on the ‘Mathematics Honours Board’ at Leyes Lane in Upper School.

  • Junior Team Maths Challenge for years 7 and 8
  • Intermediate Team Maths Challenges for years 9 and 10
  • Senior Team Maths Challenges for years 12 and 13, with a teacher team competing!

Maths Club runs on a Wednesday after school for any student at KS3. This takes place in U27.

Keystage 3

At Key Stage 3, we use the ‘Oxford Framework Maths’ textbooks.

The overall aim for students in key stage 3 is to

  • Be confident in numerical calculations mentally, with pencil and paper and using a calculator
  • Understand, appreciate and are competent in the use of algebra as a powerful, elegant and unambiguous means of expressing mathematical relationships
  • Have sound practical skills of measurement and estimation in relation to real life situations
  • Be aware of the use of statistics as a means of communicating the main features of a data set
  • Understand and are able to apply the inter-relationship of mathematical ideas and the ways in which all mathematics is inter-linked.

We aim to provide a curriculum that enables all pupils to make progress no matter where they start.

Keystage 4

The new GCSE curriculum comes in to place from September 2015.  This will affect Year 10 pupils in September 2015.  These pupils will be working towards a GCSE in Mathematics where grades 1 to 9 will be on offer (9 being the highest score).  We will be following the Edexcel specification and students will be assessed through three equally weighted written examination papers.  

Pupils in Year 11 from September 2015 will be unaffected by the changes and will still be awarded grades based upon the letters.  

Sixth Form

Three options are offered at key stage 5 all with AQA

  • Mathematics with Mechanics
  • Mathematics with Statistics
  • Double Mathematics (Further Mathematics)

At least a grade B at GCSE (ideally an A) is needed to study Mathematics with Mechanics or Statistics. Students wishing to study Double Mathematics require an A* at GCSE.

All students wishing to study AS Mathematics are required to sit an assessment in July to check for their suitability and correct option choices. Students who fail to achieve at least 30% are advised to study other options.

There is no coursework requirement for any of the courses on offer.

Progress into year 13 is dependent on satisfactory performance in the AS examination. It is at this stage that those double mathematicians who only wish to gain AS Further Mathematics will move to one of the single maths sets. The remaining double mathematicians will continue with C3, C4, M2, S2, FP2 and FP3.  All module examinations will be sat in June.