Head of Department: Mrs J Barrett - jb@bws.wilts.sch.uk
Maths Teachers:
Mrs Nicola Brown - nmb@bws.wilts.sch.uk
Mrs Helena Elliott - hle@bws.wilts.sch.uk
Mrs Nina Goldsack - nmg@bws.wilts.sch.uk
Mrs Amanda Gough - ajg@bws.wilts.sch.uk
Mr Phil Loughlin - pcl@bws.wilts.sch.uk
Miss Alex Mihai - axm@bws.wilts.sch.uk
Mr Simon Vaughan - skv@bws.wilts.sch.uk
At BWS our aim is to fit the mathematics to each student’s needs and interests. More than for any other subject we have courses tailored to suit different paces of learning and different aspirations. While we hope everyone will leave us with confidence, and without the anxiety about the subject that some people feel, we aim to provide a rich set of opportunities for enthusiasts to pursue it to the highest level. We have a strong tradition of students studying maths at Oxford, Cambridge and other prestigious universities, and we and our students are enthusiastic problem solvers and partakers in national competitions.
The mathematics syllabus for Key Stage three covers all of the subject content from the National Curriculum’s programme of study. Details of this can be found here
We integrate into our teaching many opportunities for boys to develop their mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills and hence become fluent in mathematics.
Year 7
Students entering BWS in year 7 will extend their range of mental and written calculation skills across the Number, Algebra, Shape and Space and Data Handling areas of mathematics, with an emphasis on clear presentation of all written solutions. We follow the Maths Frameworking scheme using the, most challenging, Pupil book 1.3.
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The text books are kept at school and they boys are provided with Homework book 1 from which homework questions will be set.
Investigative work is integral to the scheme with boys learning how to apply their knowledge to reach solutions to real-life problems.
The four year 7 sets consist of the four tutor groups, and so they are all mixed ability sets. They are assessed termly and then in an end of year exam.
Details of the topics covered, the timescales and assessments can be found in the
Student resources can be found by clicking the button at the top of this page.
Year 8
There is a greater emphasis on algebra once the students enter year 8. In addition to developing the pupils’ understanding of fractions, percentages, and probability, we introduce circles, graphs, transformations and Pythagoras’ Theorem.
In year 8, the boys are placed into 4 sets according to their test and exam performance in year 7: two parallel Upper sets (8U1 and 8U2) and two parallel Lower sets (8L1 and 8L2).
All 4 sets are taught the same material, again from the most challenging Maths Frameworking Textbook 2.3, and they sit the same termly tests and end of year exam.
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Details of the topics covered, the timescales and assessments can be found in the
Student resources can be found by clicking the button at the top of this page.
In Year 9 we start teaching of the 9-1 GCSE syllabus. This course has a high level of content so teaching it as a 3 year course provides us with more opportunity to develop depth of understanding and opportunities to perform problem solving.
All pupils will take the AQA Mathematics 9 -1 GCSE maths exam which provides opportunities to stretch the more able whilst being accessible to all.
The new 9 - 1 GCSE includes some additional topics, such as set theory, functions and differentiation, helps to bridge the gap for those going on to study A level Mathematics. It has a very similar content to the IGCSE which was our previous exam for boys, and in previous years over 85% of our students have gained A* and A grades, with all of the remainder achieving a B or a C.
The Mathematics 9 -1 GCSE course is assessed terminally by way of three 1.5 hour papers, two calculator and one non-calculator, each worth 1/3 of the final mark.
In addition, our most able boys in Set 1 will also take the AQA Level 2 Certificate in Further Mathematics, equivalent to another GCSE. The additional topics required for this course will be taught in a fully integrated way during the boys’ weekly Mathematics lessons. This course is assessed via two examinations, one 1.5 hour non-calculator paper and one 2 hour calculator paper.
There are 4 sets in Years 9, 10 and 11, Set 1, Set 2 and Sets 3B and 3B which are two parallel sets. Year 9 sets are ordered by ability, based on the boys’ performances during Year 8, but all the pupils learn the same material and sit the same tests. The higher set boys are likely to work faster and get onto the more challenging questions. The only exception to this is that set 1 are also challenged with the additional Further Mathematics topics from Year 10.
There will be an opportunity for some set movement at the end of Year 9 but boys then remain in the same set for Years 10 and 11 to provide stability and minimise disruption.
For the AQA Mathematics 9 -1 GCSE course we use the Oxford University Press’ AQA GCSE Maths Higher Student Book which also links to MyMaths. ISBN 978-0-19-835166-5
These books remain in the classroom and the boys can access an electronic version of it via their Kerboodle login using www.kerboodle.com. This electronic book also includes on-line video tutorials and direct links to MyMaths to help the boys with independent study and revision.
Details of the topics covered, the timescales and assessments can be found in the
Revision guides can be purchased from many local book shops and on line, any revision guide covering the new 9 – 1 Mathematics GCSE will be suitable. We recommend the new GCSE 9 – 1 Mathematics AQA Revision Guide and Workbook (and Answer book) published by CGP. Details are:
Click here for Year 10 Preparing for your end of Year Exam
Student resources can be found by clicking the button at the top of this page.
A Level Mathematics (from September 2017)
Mathematics is a popular course in the Sixth Form with over 60% of the boys choosing to study A Level maths.
Boys that wish to study Mathematics in Year 12 will require a Grade 7 or higher at their GCSE 9-1 Mathematics. We also get them to sit a 45 minute (non-calculator) entrance exam which will test their algebra skills.
The result of this test will highlight to us their suitability for the course, if the score is below a certain level, we will strongly recommend that boys complete some additional maths questions over the summer to improve their algebra skills which are vital to success in the course.
These are contained in our A Level Induction Booklet.
From September 2017, A level Mathematics will become a linear course with all exams taken at the end of Year 13. We have selected the Edexcel exam board whose specification can be found here:
A Level L3 Mathematics SpecificationWe typically have around 80 students studying A level mathematics in 4 sets. The department has a strong track record of success at ‘A’ level with over 90% achieving a Grade B or above in summer 2016.
The content of the 2017 linear A level mathematics is fully prescribed with no optional content. Pupils will be taught by 2 specialist mathematics teachers with one double and one single lesson from each teacher per week. One teacher will teach half of the Pure content along with the Mechanics, and the other will teach Statistics along with the remaining Pure.
Year 12
Details of the topics covered and assessments can be found in the following schedules:
Year 12 Pure and Mechanics Schedule
Year 12 Pure and Statistics Schedule
We require the boys to have the following calculator which contains all of the mathematical and statistical functions for A level Mathematics and Further Mathematics.
Casio Classwiz FX-991EX
The text books that the boys are required to have for Year 12 are:
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Edexcel AS and A Level Mathematics: Pure Mathematics Year 1/AS published by Pearson.
ISBN 9781292183398 This covers the Pure part of the Year 12 course and retails at £19.99. |
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Edexcel AS and A Level Mathematics: Statistics and Mechanics Year 1/AS published by Pearson.
ISBN 9781292232539 This covers the Applied part of the Year 12 course and retails at £9.99. |
We will have the option to bulk purchase the required textbooks and calculator in September at a discounted price, a letter will be sent home offering this.
Year 13
Details of the topics covered and assessments for Year 13 can be found in the following schedules:
Year 13 Pure and Mechanics Schedule
Year 13 Pure and Statistics Schedule
The text books that the boys are required to have for Year 13 are:
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Edexcel AS and A Level Mathematics : Pure Mathematics Year 2 published by Pearson.
ISBN 9781292183404 This covers the Pure part of the Year 13 course and retails at £19.99. |
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2. Edexcel AS and A Level Mathematics : Statistics and Mechanics Year 2 published by Pearson. published by Pearson.
ISBN 9781446944073 This covers the Applied part of the Year 13 course and retails at £9.99. |
AS and A Level Further Mathematics (from September 2017)
This is available as a fourth A level Choice for boys in year 12 who excel in mathematics. Boys that wish to study Further Mathematics in Year 12 will require a Grade 8 grade or higher at their GCSE 9-1 Mathematics, and we would expect a high score in their entrance exam.
Further Mathematics is useful not only for people wishing to study Mathematics at University, but also Engineers, Scientists and other mathematics related subjects. Many universities still value the AS qualification as demonstration of further mathematical study.
We expect to have around 35 students studying the Edexcel AS Further Mathematics course and these will be in 2 sets. Based on their performance, these pupils can then choose to either sit the exams in Year 12 to achieve the AS Level Further Maths qualification and drop Further Maths, or continue their studies through to Year 13 to achieve the A Level Further Maths qualification.
50% of the course is prescribed Pure Maths Content and covers some interesting areas of mathematics such as Complex Numbers and Matrices. This is taught by one teacher in two double lessons per week. We have selected Mechanics and Additional Pure as the two optional modules which are each worth 25% of the course. The applied maths teacher will teach the Mechanics content in one double per week, and the Additional Pure content will be shared between the two teachers.
Year 12
Details of the topics covered and assessments for Year 12 (AS) can be found in the following schedules:
Year 12 Further Maths Pure Schedule
Year 12 Further Maths Mechanics Schedule
Year 12 Further Maths Additional Pure Schedule
The text books that the boys are required to have for Year 12 are:
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Edexcel AS and A Level Further Mathematics : Core Pure Mathematics Year 1/AS published by Pearson.
ISBN 9781292183336 This covers the Core Pure part of the Year 12 course and retails at £19.99. |
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Edexcel AS and A Level Further Mathematics : Further Mechanics 1 published by Pearson.
ISBN 9781292183312 This covers the Mechanics part of the Year 12 and Year 13 course and retails at £19.99. |
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Edexcel AS and A Level Further Mathematics: Further Pure Mathematics 1 published by Pearson.
ISBN 9781292183350 This covers the Additional Pure part of the Year 12 and Year 13 course and retails at £19.99. |
Again, we will have the option to bulk purchase the required textbooks in September at a discounted price, a letter will be sent home offering this.
Year 13
Details of the topics covered and assessments for Year 13 (A Level) can be found in the following schedules:
Year 13 Further Maths Pure Schedule
Year 13 Further Maths Mechanics Schedule
The additional text book that the boys are required to have for Year 13 Further Maths is:
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Edexcel AS and A Level Further Mathematics : Core Pure Mathematics Book 2 published by Pearson.
ISBN 9781292183343 This covers the Core Pure part of the Year 13 course and retails at £19.99. |
Boys have the opportunity to take part in the Maths Challenges organised by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust, UKMT.
The Senior Challenge is in November and up to 40 sixth form boys can choose to take part.
The Intermediate Challenge is in February and up to 40 Year 11 and 10 boys can take part.
The Junior Challenge is in April and we have 60 places open to boys from Years 7 and 8.
We also take a team of 4 boys to both the Senior Team Challenge (for Years 12/13) and the Team Challenge (for Years 8/9). Last year both teams made it through to compete in the National Finals in London.
Further information about all of these and sample questions can be found on the UKMT website www.ukmt.org.uk