At the High Arcal School we have a strong belief in the best way to teach and learn mathematics. We recognise that mathematics is a thinking subject. Thought requires concentration and concentration needs quiet. Lessons are conducted quietly, whispering is allowed because students are often required to work together, but talking is unacceptable.
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
Year 7: All students explore a wide variety of mathematical topics in the first year of their Key Stage 3 course. During this year they have the opportunity to reinforce their understanding of mathematical concepts that they were first introduced to at Primary school. More importantly they extend their knowledge of topics in all branches of mathematics: Number, Algebra, Data Handling and Shape, Space and Measure. Students are encouraged to communicate their thinking both orally and in the written form. They study a very broad curriculum, sometimes working individually, sometimes in pairs or small groups.
Year 8: The main difference between the mathematics taught in Year 8 to that in Year 7 is in the depth of understanding expected by students who will usually spend much longer on a particular topic than they did in the previous year. They learn new topics in all areas of mathematics and begin to express themselves more confidently when using algebra.
Year 9: With SATs looming large in the Summer Term, all students view this year as a very important one. During the Autumn Term we cover a lot of new topics, particularly in Algebra, Shape, Space and Measure. The most able students are introduced to trigonometry, Pythagoras’ rule and extend their algebra to include simultaneous equations and quadratic functions. During the Spring Term all students follow a revision programme and are thoroughly prepared for their examinations.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum
The GCSE Mathematics course that we offer is a modular course. It is currently based upon five modules of work. Each module is assessed either by an examination or a piece of coursework. The students enjoy this style of working as they can concentrate their efforts on particular topics at various times in their course – we have found that this leads to well motivated and successful students. Unlike Key Stage 3 – we don’t rely very heavily on just one text resource to deliver the curriculum. We are fortunate in the department to have very enthusiastic and well qualified mathematics teachers who will select the best text materials and exercises to use for each topic. The GCSE examination in mathematics has recently changed from a three tier of entry course to a two tier of entry one. This change applies to all GCSE Mathematics courses in the country and we are working very hard as a team to ensure that our pupils will be as successful in the future as they have been in the past. From September 2006 GCSE Statistics is offered as an option in addition to compulsory Mathematics
Post 16 opportunities and progression routes for further study
Mathematics is offered to sixth form students in conjunction with Dudley College. We offer both AS and A2 levels in Pure Mathematics and Statistics. The teaching is shared between High Arcal Teachers and Dudley College Lecturers. As with all subjects the course is a modular one, with students completing examinations in January and June of both years. As well as being a science subject in its own right, many students find that their study of mathematics is a huge help for their other subjects. The geography and biology students learn some valuable statistical tools which they can use when analysing data and the physics students benefit from the increased knowledge of topics like trigonometry, differentiation and integration. All students extend their problem-solving skills and their logic and deductive reasoning. These are valuable skills, particularly for students who follow a course in Higher Education. Mathematics has proved to be a popular choice for students and some have continued their study of the subject at University.
