Mathematics

Welcome to Maths

We believe in a maths curriculum that is creative and engaging with the national curriculum at its core. All children are to have access to this curriculum and to make progress in lessons, irrespective of their starting point. Children need to develop the necessary skills to make them “deep thinkers” acquiring maths skills that can be recalled quickly and transferred and applied in different contexts. They need to be able to make rich connections across the areas of maths and use their knowledge in other subjects.

The maths department is made up of collaborative team of 11 maths specialists that are passionate about teaching their subject. We believe in a maths curriculum that is creative and engaging with the national curriculum at its core. All children are to have access to this curriculum and to make progress in lessons, irrespective of their starting point. Children need to develop the necessary skills to make them “deep thinkers” acquiring maths skills that can be recalled quickly and transferred and applied in different contexts. They need to be able to make rich connections across the areas of maths and use their knowledge in other subjects.

Balcarras Maths Department Endpoints

Maths is the foundation for understanding the world and we want our children to know the purpose behind their learning and to apply their knowledge to their everyday lives.  We expect all pupils to have mastered by the end of each year.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Multiply Decimals

Negative Number Calculations

Standard Form conversions

Divide decimals

Standard form calculations

Round to whole number, nearest 10

Round to decimal places

Three rules of indices

Round to significant figures

Estimation

Find all factors and multiples of a number

Write number as product of prime factors

 

Use PFF to find HCF and LCM

 

Fraction means equal parts, equivalent fractions

F/D/% conversions

 

Mixed Number Calculations

 

Measure an angle

 

Construct perp bisector

 

 

Collect like terms

Expand single brackets

Expand double bracket

Factorise with common factors

Solve quadratics by factorising

Sub +ve values into expressions

 

 

Sub negative values into a formula

Formulae for Cones and Spheres

Angles in Triangle sum to 180

Angles in simple polygons

 

Vertically opposite angles

Angles of regular polygons

Angle in parallel lines

Find F/V/E for 3d shapes

Plan of a 3D shape

Pythagoras- Find hypotenuse

Pythagoras- Find any side

SOHCAHTOA

Convert metric units of length

Calculate Speed given distance and time

 

 

Speed, Density, Pressure

Ratio- write, equivalent

Share in a ratio

Direct Proportion

Combined Ratio and Proportion problems

Inverse Proportion

Solve 1 step equations

Solve 2 step equation

Solve Equation – unknown both sides

Solve Equations with brackets and unknowns on both sides

Solve simultaneous equations

Area of rectangle and triangle

Diameter is twice radius

Area and Circumference of a circle

Area and circumference of semi and quarter circles

Volume and surface area of a cylinder

Find simple percentages of an amount (non calc)

Find percentages using a multiplier

% increase, decrease using multiplier

Repeated % changes using multiplier

Reverse percentages

Plot Coordinates in 4 quadrants

Plot x=a, y = b

Plot y=mx+c

Gradient and y intercept

Plot quadratic equations

Rotate, Reflect and Translate 2D shapes

Enlargement

Translate with a vector and combine transformations

Describe single transformation

Vector algebra

Averages from discrete data

Use frequency Tables

 

Averages from frequency tables

 

Draw Bar Chart

Dual and Composite Bar Charts

Scatter diagram and correlation

Interpret Scatter diagram

Construct a Pie Chart

 

Find nth term of an increasing arithmetic sequence with positive terms

nth term for any arithmetic sequence

generate a sequence given nth term

Rearrange Formulae

 

 

Represent inequalities on a number line

Solve linear inequality

Use inequalities to write an error interval

 

 

Recognise Similar and Congruent shapes

Find volume of a right prism

Proof of Congruency

 

Write probability as a fraction

Probability for independent events

Probability for dependent events

Venn Diagrams

Key to Curriculum maps

Basic numeracy

Geometry

Sequences

Probability

Ratios, Proportion, Fractions, Decimals, Percentages

Statistics

Algebra

 

Curriculum map Key Stage 3

Curriculum map GCSE (higher level)

Curriculum map GCSE (Foundation)

Curriculum map A level mathematics

Pure- 5 hours a fortnight 
Mechanics- 2 hours a fortnight 
Statistics- 2 hours a fortnight 

 

Y12

Y13

Sept

Indices and Surds

Proof

 

Quadratics

Functions and mappings

 

Definitions and Large Data Set

Correlation

 

Measures of location

 

Modelling

Moments

 

Constant Acceleration

Oct

Equations and Inequalities

Binomial expansion

 

Graphs and transformations

Radians

 

Measures of spread

Probability

 

Constant Acceleration

Forces and friction

Nov

Coordinate Geometry

Trigonometric functions

 

Circles

Trigonometry and modelling

 

Representing data

Probability

 

Forces

Projectiles

Dec

Algebraic Methods

Parametric equations

 

Correlation

Normal Distribution

 

Forces

Projectiles

Jan

Binomial expansion

Mocks

 

Trigonometric ratios

 

Trigonometric identities

 

Vectors (in mechanics lessons)

Differentiation

 

Probability

Application of forces

 

Distributions

Normal Distribution

Feb

Mocks

Differentiation

 

Differentiation

Numerical methods

 

Hypothesis tests

Normal Distribution

 

Variable acceleration

Application of forces

Mar

Differentiation

Integration

 

Integration

Vectors

 

Hypothesis tests

Revision of Y12 content

 

Variable acceleration

Vectors in kinematics

Apr

Exponentials and Logarithms

Revision and past papers

 

Revision of Y12 content

Revision and past papers

 

Revision of Y12 content

Revision and past papers

May

Revision of Y12 content

EXAMS

Curriculum maps Further Maths A level

Core Pure- 5 hours a fortnight 
Mechanics- 2 hours a fortnight 
Statistics- 2 hours a fortnight 

 

Y12

Y13

Sept

Complex Numbers

Series

 

Argand Diagrams

Methods in calculus

 

Discrete Random Variables

Negative Binomial Distribution

 

Momentum and impulse

Momentum and impulse

 

Work, energy and power

Revision of Y12 collisions

Oct

Matrices

Volumes of revolution

 

Discrete Random Variables

Hypothesis Testing- Geometric

 

Work, energy and power

Elastic collisions in 2 dimensions

Nov

Linear Transformations

Polar coordinates

 

Poisson Distribution

Probability Generating Functions

 

Elastic Collisions

Elastic collisions in 2 dimensions

Dec

Series

Hyperbolic Functions

 

Proof by induction

Probability Generating Functions

 

Poisson Distribution

Revision of Y12 Energy

 

Elastic Collisions

Revision for mocks

Jan

Vectors

Mocks

 

Hypothesis Testing- Poisson

Methods in differential equations

 

Revision

Central Limit Theorem

 

Mocks

Elastic springs (Hooke's law)

Feb

Volumes of revolution

Modelling with differential equations

 

Chi-Squared - discrete distributions

Central Limit Theorem

 

Revision and past papers

Elastic springs (Hooke's law)

Mar

Revision and past papers

Revision and past papers

 

Chi-Squared - discrete distributions

Quality of Tests

 

Revision and past papers

Revision and past papers

Apr

Revision and past papers

Revision and past papers

 

Chi-Squared - contingency tables

Quality of Tests

May

A2 Complex Numbers

REVISION AND EXAMS

How is Mathematics organised at Balcarras School?

Year 7 (Y7) is split into two bands with each band containing 3 or 4 tutor groups. For the first half term they are taught as a tutor group. After the October half-term they are put into sets based on their raw KS2 results. If a pupil has not taken KS2 exams or their school does not provide the raw scores, we will use the numeracy test that all pupils sit at the end of the first half term to place them.

Being placed in a lower set does not mean that a pupil is not good at mathematics; it merely reflects their relative position on entry in an intake of nearly 200 pupils. Some pupils and parents find the initial setting to be a worry, especially if a child was one of the best mathematicians in a small primary school but we have found that the only fair way to allocate starting sets is to use the KS2 raw score and rank pupils. It is our aim to stretch and challenge pupils in all sets and at all abilities.

Again this year, pupils who have started at Balcarras in the bottom set in Y7 have achieved grade 8 at GCSE in Y11.

During Y7, changes are made between sets if it is clear that a student is wrongly placed.

All Y7 pupils take a common examination and this, together with performance in class work and homework throughout the year, forms the basis of set allocation for Y8 within two parallel half-year bands.

In Y9 pupils are placed in sets 1-9 as a full year group. In Y10 and Y11 we go back to two parallel half-year bands. Within each band pupils are setted for mathematics based on their exam and class work.

 

 

We always enter students into the highest level paper that we believe will maximize their grade in external examinations

Key Stage 3

Follow the kangaroo maths Key Stage 3 Framework for Teaching Mathematics, with a strong mastery approach. In accordance with the National Strategy we aim to develop both mental and written mathematical skills.

The scheme mirrors the requirements of the national curriculum and includes number and algebra, geometry and measures, statistics together with mathematical processes and applications.

Being in smaller set groupings, aided by Teaching Assistants where appropriate, supports the least able.

We set and internally assess KS3 SAT examinations to determine setting for Y10.

GCSE

All students follow a course of study that can lead to a GCSE examination in mathematics. We follow the Edexcel specification and pupils sit three formal examinations at the end of the course. There is no coursework in mathematics. The examinations include elements of ‘functional skills’ and the final grade will be between 9 and 1, with foundation students able to achieve a maximum of a grade 5.

Results are consistently well above the national average and amongst the highest in the county.

In June 2019, 90.5% of the students in Y11 achieved an 9 - 4 grade in mathematics with 47.1% of pupils gaining a grade 7 or better and 11.4% achieving a grade 9.

2019 90.5% 9-4 in Maths
2018 89.7%
2017 94.8%
2016 86.1% A*-C in Maths
2015 91.3%
2014 90.5%
2013 93.6%
2012 95%
2011 90%

GCSE Mathematics 2019

A level

Advanced level mathematics is growing in popularity and is relevant to most career choices. We offer units in Pure Maths, Mechanics, Statistics and Decision Maths. Balcarras School has an enviable reputation for A Level success.

In 2019, at A Level, 21 students achieved an A* grade and over 80% achieved at least a grade A. This gave the department an ALPS grade 1 making it the best mathematics department in the country (including grammar schools and independent schools). In A Level Further maths 85% achieved at least a grade A. Many of these students went on to study maths at some of the best universities in the country.

  • Mathematics was the most applied for subject in the sixth form in 2017, 2018 and 2019
  • Balcarras is one of the few schools in the county that offers both A level Mathematics and A level Further Mathematics

What equipment will be needed?

In maths lessons you will need to have a pen, pencil and rubber together with mathematical drawing instruments (e.g. compass, ruler and protractor).

We expect all students to bring and use a scientific calculator and this is essential for two of the examinations papers. The school has mathematical equipment and calculators for sale and these can be purchased from any maths teacher.

  • Items of equipment will be on sale during the new Y7 induction meeting in June
  • A fixed price pack includes a calculator and all the equipment needed

Does the school take part in any mathematical competitions?

Yes. We regularly enter students for the UKMT Mathematical Challenges at Junior, Intermediate and Senior Levels as well as the regional Team Mathematics Challenges.

We run a maths club for Y11, 12 and 13 pupils every Thursday lunchtime which prepares students for the Maths Challenges and also for STEP/ MAT exams prior to University applications.