Department Overview
Mathematics is taught at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School by an experienced team of subject specialists. We have a dedicated suite of modern rooms with internet provision, digital projectors and interactive whiteboards in most rooms. We have a large and diverse set of resources to complement these excellent facilities and enhance the quality of teaching and learning.
There is a Mathematics clinic held during one lunchtime each week, to provide extra support for any students experiencing difficulties or who have missed work through absence.
Many pupils take part in the annual UK Mathematics Challenges and teams are regularly entered for regional and national Mathematics Competitions.
There is a weekly Mathematics puzzle which all pupils are encouraged to enter, and prizes are awarded to successful pupils.
Pupils are taught in form groups in Year 7 and Year 8 are then divided into ability groups from Year 9 onwards. The composition of these groups is regularly reviewed and changes are made whenever necessary. Progress is monitored through a series of regular assessments and end of year examinations. All pupils have targets set based upon prior performance and are monitored against these targets.
All pupils are provided with their own textbook to keep at home, and often homework is set from this, or on Hegarty Maths.
There are two tiers of entry for GCSE mathematics; higher tier which accesses grades 4 – 9 and foundation which accesses grades 1 – 5. Students will continue to be taught mathematics in ability groups and all will study for the higher tier course. A small number of students may be entered for the foundation paper at the end of Year 11 based on the target grade they are expected to achieve and their progress throughout the course.
Students will learn through a range of styles of activities including individual learning, group work and problem solving tasks. The topics covered in Years 7 – 9 will be revisited and built upon with a number of new topics, such as vectors, introduced. Students will see an increasing overlap in the topics that are covered and problem solving in real life contexts becomes a significant focus.
For all lessons and examinations students will be expected to have mathematical instruments and a scientific calculator, we recommend the Casio FX83GXor if students are planning future mathematical study the Casio FX-991EX
At A Level mathematics is one of the most useful and versatile subjects you can study in the Sixth Form.
If you enjoy the intellectual challenge that mathematics offers and the great satisfaction that is gained from working through difficult mathematical problems, then you have chosen the right subject.
There are very few career routes that do not value A-Level mathematics and many that demand A-Level mathematics.
Over the two years, you study a combination of algebraic techniques in order to solve co-ordinate geometry, trigonometry and sequences problems amongst others. In addition, you will study mechanics and statistics.
