Mathematics

A Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics

Students studying A Level Mathematics in Years 12 and 13 receive five one-hour lessons per week, with an expectation of completing an equivalent amount of independent study outside of class. This balance of guided and self-directed learning is essential for consolidating understanding of mathematical concepts, techniques, and problem-solving skills. Peer discussion is actively encouraged both during lessons and in independent study time, as it not only helps students tackle challenging topics but also strengthens their reasoning and communication abilities through collaborative explanation. Those taking A Level Further Mathematics alongside the standard course will have an additional five one-hour lessons each week, accompanied by corresponding home learning tasks to support their extended studies. This structure ensures that all students are well-supported in developing the depth and rigour required for success in advanced mathematics.

We follow the Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Mathematics syllabus for A Level Mathematics and the OCR Further Mathematics A (H245) syllabus for A Level Further Mathematics.

The Edexcel A Level Mathematics course offers a rich and engaging journey through the core branches of mathematics: Pure Mathematics, Statistics, and Mechanics. In Year 12, students deepen their understanding of algebra and explore intriguing concepts such as infinite series and the geometry behind everyday objects—like why baked bean tins are cylindrical. The Statistics component introduces students to data presentation, probability, and hypothesis testing, including how to determine if a dice is biased. Mechanics brings mathematics to life through practical applications, such as estimating the height of a building using a barometer.

In Year 13, the course builds on these foundations with more advanced topics. Pure Mathematics reveals the surprising appearances of π in unexpected contexts and introduces the number e, which plays a crucial role in fields ranging from physics to finance. Statistics becomes more rigorous, covering the principles behind scientific research and demystifying the elusive “p-value” that challenges many university students. Mechanics expands to include more complex scenarios involving velocity, acceleration, and forces, helping students apply mathematical reasoning to real-world problems. This course is ideal for students who enjoy analytical thinking and want a strong foundation for further study in STEM, economics, or data science.

The OCR (MEI) A Level Further Mathematics course is designed for students who seek a greater challenge than standard A Level Mathematics and is highly recommended for those aiming to study Mathematics, Engineering, Economics, or the Physical Sciences at top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Over the two-year programme, students delve into advanced Pure Mathematics topics including complex numbers, matrices and vectors, calculus, differential equations, hyperbolic functions, and proof by induction. Depending on module choices, students may also explore Further Statistics, covering areas such as linear regression, discrete and continuous random variables, hypothesis testing, correlation, and chi-squared tests. In Mechanics, topics such as momentum and impulse, elastic strings and springs, work, power and energy, collisions, and centre of mass are studied in greater depth. The course also offers opportunities to revisit and extend Pure Mathematics concepts, with potential exposure to number theory and group theory. Additionally, students develop technological skills to solve complex mathematical problems, including techniques used in Computational Fluid Dynamics—such as modelling airflow over a Formula One car. This course is ideal for mathematically ambitious students who want to push their analytical skills to the highest level.

Mathematics at KS3

Pupils in Years 7 and 8 are taught Mathematics in their tutor groups. In Year 9 pupils are assigned to sets according to their performance and progress. Pupils have three one-hour long Mathematics lessons per week and one to two pieces of homework.

GCSE Mathematics

Pupils in Years 10 and 11 are assigned to sets according to their performance and progress. Pupils have three Mathematics lessons of one-hour each per week with the expectation that pupils regularly consolidate and extend their learning away from the classroom via a range of home learning tasks.

Pupils are studying towards the Edexcel 1Ma1 GCSE in Mathematics which is assessed at the end of Year 11 by three one and a half hour examinations. The new GCSE very much requires pupils to be problem solvers, they are needed to be able to tackle unfamiliar problems in a wide range of contexts, often having to make a choice about which of the wide range of mathematical skills they have learnt that they need to apply. For this reason, it is essential that pupils make a determined effort to understand the mathematics that they are learning as examiners are determined to set questions to catch out pupils who have attempted to just remember a method rather fully understand a topic.

The pupils who succeed at GCSE Mathematics:

• Invest extra time in understanding mathematics rather than just doing mathematics.
• Reflect and act upon any feedback they are given and try to make sure that they never make the same mistake twice.
• Relish the challenge of the unfamiliar and don't want to be told how to do something and much prefer to work things out for themselves.
• Enjoy being stuck and keep on thinking about a problem until they work out how to do it.
• Take pride in communicating their mathematics in a logically structured argument.