Students can also belong to the Mathematics Olympiad’s Club. We meet once a week and have “competitions” both local and international.
Mathematics is crucial to our understanding of the world we live in and has a significant practical and cultural impact on how we live our lives, however it is neither uniquely defined nor value-free and culture-free. School mathematics is not the same as academic or research mathematics, but a re-contextualised selection from the parent discipline.
At Day Waterman College, we have chosen a curriculum that reflects the needs and the values of students in the modern world, while at the same time valuing mathematics for the beauty of mathematics.
Aims
• To set challenging targets with high expectations for all students.
• To offer a variety of approaches to teaching and learning to engage and motivate students and demand their active participation.
• To smooth the transition for students between Key Stages and ensure progression in teaching and learning throughout their time at Day Waterman College.
• To explore enrichment opportunities outside the curriculum to enhance students’ enjoyment of mathematics. In addition, we do hope that students will acquire the logical abilities, characteristic of a mathematician.
Principles of Teaching and Learning Mathematics
We aim to:
• Establish a classroom climate where all students feel that they can contribute, and which secures their motivation and concentration;
• Adopt teaching and organisational strategies to keep all students suitably challenged, while giving them maximum opportunity to interact with their teacher;
• Provide appropriate support, aids or interventions to give particular students access to the planned programme and to keep any who might fall behind in step with the rest of their class.
Strategies include:
• Questioning – targeting individuals or groups, open questions, encouraging students to explain strategies and to each other
• Teaching focused, at times, on individuals/groups while others work independently.
• Targeting teacher’s own support or the support of additional adults in the classroom.
• Providing resources to support individual students
• Open-ended tasks – investigations, problems.
• Providing extension material(s)
At Key Stage 3 we follow the Collins Framework series of text books and at the same time develop independent minds with a series of planned mathematical investigations which both use and develop skills that have been taught. Progress is continually monitored through analytical tests that highlight to the student what areas they need to develop. Individual support is given as needed following these analytical tests.
As students move into KS4, an increasing number of investigations based on real life situations and of a pure mathematical nature will develop these skills of logical and creative thinking. This will mean that students will finish their IGCSE course both prepared for the further study of mathematics and have the tools needed for modern living. They will also be fully prepared for their KS5 courses in many disciplines.
KS 3 (Years 7 to 9)
All students have grade descriptors and assessment criteria tracker sheets to help them self assess their ability and set targets for their identified areas for improvement. Homework (based on assessment criteria with an effort grade and an accompanying comment to indicate how improvement can be made) are marked towards these levels. This helps our students set aspirational targets for themselves
Topics covered at key Stage 3 include; Numbers and Number system, Calculating and measurements, Algebra, Shape, Space and Measure, Data handling.
KS 4 (IGCSE Years 10 & 11)
All students have grade descriptor sheets relevant to their target grade in their folder. Official homework are set and marked for students with their current targets improved on regularly.
Topics covered at Key Stage 4 include; Numbers and Number system, Calculating and measurements, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Graphs, Sets, Vectors and Functions, Matrices and Transformation, Statistics and Probability.
All students will be entered for the Higher Tier of IGCSE Mathematics with Edexcel. Students have the opportunity to take their Mathematics option early which gives them a chance to further increase their mathematical knowledge by taking the further mathematics option, a useful tool for students going into Engineering and Technology.
