Mathematics

Mathematics and its applications are of fundamental importance in today’s increasingly technological world.  Mathematics is the toolkit which enables us to make progress in all branches of science: physical, biological, technical and financial.

The human genome is producing sequences of DNA data.  New mathematical techniques have been developed to analyse the data and enable the development of new medicines to fight disease.

Number Theory holds the key to cracking the Enigma code and to protecting your money in your bank account.  What are the chances of winning the lottery?  How can you assess risk in dangerous situations?  Probability helps us understand the occurrence of random events.

The efficiency of moving materials or information can be improved by understanding the Mathematics of networks.

The dynamics of complex natural phenomenon can be simulated using mathematical modelling.  Chaos theory has brought the realisation that the smallest fluctuation in conditions can have a significant impact on climate change.

Mathematics holds the key to understanding the world about us.

The GCSE course which consists of Number and Algebra, Handling Data and Shape, Space and Measure.  In these areas pupils develop their computational and problem solving skills, learning how to apply strategies, extract information and interpret results.  These skills are applied in two pieces of coursework.

Pure Mathematics is a compulsory part of the AS and A2 syllabus. The main topics are Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus.  Statistics, Mechanics and Decision Mathematics are the choices for Applied Mathematics.  All three areas involve mathematical modelling which helps to develop specific strategies for problem solving.

We want our pupils to develop a real interest in Mathematics and to gain as much enjoyment as possible from the subject.  The Mathematics Department embraces a wide variety of teaching methods in order to enhance learning experiences.  These include skill developing exercises, investigations, practical work, games and puzzles.  Pupils are encouraged to think logically and creatively in their use of a wide range of mathematical techniques.  The aim is always to build our pupils’ confidence.

The Mathematics Department has a dedicated cluster of ten computers and a classroom equipped with an interactive whiteboard.  Specialist mathematical software, including Omnigraph, Autograph and Cabri Geometry are used when appropriate.  We also make use of Excel for data handling analysis.

Girls in Years 7, 8 and 12 take part in Mathematical Challenges and we regularly send teams to the U.K.Maths Trust Team Challenge in Durham.

In liaison with the Modern Languages department Year 8 pupils experience Mathematics taught in a foreign language.  Year 9 pupils take part in a workshop on Bridges Maths Design.  Through designing and building their own bridges the students visually problem solve in 3 dimensions using geometric shapes.  Working in teams they experience the importance of triangulation in relation to the weakness of rectilinear shapes.