Mathematics, Numeracy and Financial Studies

The Mathematics Faculty has a key role within Paignton Community and Sports College.   We are one of a few schools in the country trialling the new Double (Paired) GCSE in Mathematics, which leads to two separate qualifications in Mathematical Methods and Mathematical Applications.

The Faculty has had significantly improving examination results at both Key Stages 3 and 4, with about half of our students achieving a Level 6 Teacher Assessment at Key Stage 3 and an A* to C grade at GCSE, despite being a non-selective school in a selective area.   The national measure of expected student progress (CVA) of 1000 was met or exceeded every year for Mathematics until it was removed from official statistics in 2011.

The Mathematics Faculty consists of eleven successful teachers, plus an excellent pivotal student mentor who works with borderline C/D students at Key Stage 4. We set high standards for ourselves, and aim to get the best out of our students.  We work with teacher training establishments in Exeter and Plymouth, and some classes are taught for part of the year by trainee teachers, usually working alongside the main classroom teacher.

• Chris Spark, Director of Mathematics since 2011, responsible for Key Stages 4 and 5.
• Anne Hines, Assistant Director of Mathematics and responsible for Key Stage 3.
• Mark Smith, Deputy Principal,Key Stage 4.  Leadership Team link to Mathematics.
• Richard Bavister, Key Stages 4 and 5.
• Keith Begley, Key Stage 3.
• Bridget Bennett, Key Stage 4.  Pivotal Student Mentor.
• Lucy Cocker, Key Stage 3.
• Martin Cocker, Financial Studies, Key Stages 4 and 5.  Head of Year.
• Paul Francis, Key Stages 4 and 5.  Key Stage 4 Pivotal Student Manager.
• Rachel Hasbury, Key Stage 3.  Numeracy co-ordinator.
• Stuart Sutherland, Key Stages 3 and 5.
• Nigel Watt, Key Stages 4 and 5

Aims of the Mathematics Faculty

• To instil in students an interest in all aspects of Mathematics, including Number and Algebra, Shape, Space and Measures, and Handling Data, as well as more open-ended work, so that they can see the relevance of mathematics in the real world.
• To encourage a positive working environment in order to promote a good learning ethic so that each student can achieve his / her full potential.
• To teach the skills that will enable students to perform numerical tasks with confidence.
• To enhance mathematical learning through effective use of ICT.
• To prepare students for public examinations at Key Stages Three (Optional Tests that have replaced SATs), Four (GCSE) and Five (A and AS level).

“If we want our students to be good learners, we must be prepared to be learners ourselves.  After 28 years of teaching, I still want to be able to learn how to do things better.  The Mathematics Faculty, here at Paignton is committed to providing the best learning opportunities in order that our students are given every chance to achieve the best they can do.  All staff within the Faculty continue to develop their professional expertise in the classroom.”

Key Stage 3

In Years 7 – 9, the main population of students are taught in sets within two bands (three in Year 9).  So a student who is good at Mathematics can be in the top set even if they are not in an accelerated tutor group.  Each set has 3 one-hour lessons per week with an extra lesson in Year 9.

To assess progress, a RAG (red / amber / green), traffic light system is used.  National Curriculum Levels are split into steps of one third of a level, and students are expected to move up two steps every year, or two whole levels during the whole of Key Stage 3.  Roughly three quarters of our students meet their end of year target, and over half of them exceed this.  Less than one student in every forty ends up more than one third of a level behind their target.

The schemes of work for KS3 are based on the National Numeracy Strategy, mainly using resources published by Oxford University Press, “Framework Maths.” Interactive Whiteboards are in all classrooms to enhance student learning.

Key Stage 4

In Years 10 and 11, students are taught in three bands, and have four one-hour lessons per week.  Students follow a Modular GCSE Mathematics course, with each module and the final papers available at both Higher Tier (grades A* to D) and Foundation Tier (grades C to G).  It is possible to mix and match exams from different tiers, so a student who struggles with Statistics could do this unit at Foundation Tier and everything else at Higher Tier.

Exams are available every March, June and November. Modules can be taken twice and the best attempt counts.  Modules can either be taken twice at the same tier, or once at each tier.  A uniform marking system (UMS) points score is then used to make sure a Grade C is the same standard on both tiers and also from one exam series to the next.

Single GCSE students have two modules of 30% each, available every March, June and November.  They take module 1 with a calculator, mainly Statistics, in March of Year 10, with the option of a re-sit in June. Module 2 is a non-calculator paper, all Number, Algebra and Geometry, and is another 30% of the GCSE, taken in November of Year 11 with a re-sit option in March.  There is only one final paper, 40% of the GCSE with a calculator, taken in June of Year 11.

Students in M band of Year 10, or those in Year 11 taught by Mr Smith or Mr Francis, are following the Linked Pair GCSE Pilot and have four modules to take for their two GCSEs.  They are available every November and June.  Two of these count towards a GCSE in Mathematical Methods and the other two towards Mathematical Applications.  So long as they complete all four modules, a C grade in either qualification counts as GCSE Mathematics.  They take the two Mathematical Methods modules in June of Year 10.  They can be re-taken in November of Year 11, along with the first Mathematical Applications unit.  In June of Year 11, they take the final unit, plus any outstanding re-sits or catch-ups.

Many of Year 11 are having an extra chance to complete their GCSE early, in March 2012.  This will consist of two exams, usually at Foundation Tier, for all Linked Pair students who did not achieve a C grade in Mathematical Methods; also for single GCSE students who are currently on a D grade or low C grade after their two unit exams.

GCSE Examination Dates

March 2012 series

June 2012 series

• Monday 11 June (pm).   Applications 1 re-sit for Year 11 Linked Pair students, Unit 1  re-sit for Year 10 single GCSE.
• Wednesday 13 June (am).   Applications 2 for all Year 11 Linked Pair students. Unit 2 catch-ups for Year 11 single GCSE
• Tuesday 19 June (pm).  Methods 1 for all Year 10 Linked Pair students and a few Year 11 catch-ups. Unit 3 for all Year 11 single GCSE.
• Thursday 21 June (pm).  Methods 2 for all Year 10 Linked Pair students, and a few Year 11 catch-ups.

Key Stage 5

Courses available at Key Stage 5 include A Level Mathematics, A Level Financial Studies and a re-sit of GCSE Mathematics.   Both A Level courses are split into six units – three at AS Level and three at A2.

Further details of these courses can be found in the College’s 6^th Form Prospectus.

Facilities and Equipment

Facilities

All Faculty classrooms are reserved for use within the Mathematics Faculty, and have Interactive Whiteboards in place. Staff who have had these for some time make excellent use of these to enhance learning.  There is one Mathematics Computer Room on our Key Stage 4 site.

Equipment

We expect our students to provide as a minimum the following basic equipment for use in the classroom: a pen, pencil, ruler, rubber and pencil sharpener.

There will be times when you may also need your 180 degree protractor (or 360 degree angle measurer), a compass or a scientific calculator.  We use calculators in the Casio fx 83 series, mainly models MS, ES or the most recent GT.

There are also class sets of graphics calculators for doing work on functions, graphs and statistics.

Director of Mathematics: Mr Chris Spark

Links:

UK Mathematics Challenge

The Junior Challenge is for top set students in Years 7 and 8

The Intermediate Challenge is for top set students in Years 9 and 10

MyMaths

This contains lessons, practice and homework tasks for all GCSE topics and some A Level Mathematics Units.

To be able to complete homework tasks, you will need to know the College username and password.

You will also need to know your own user number and password.

Don’t forget to click the “MarkIt” button after every question, and the “Checkout” button to register your score – otherwise you will have to take it again.

Maths Games

Maths is Fun Website