Mrs N Dawson (Head of Department)
Mr J Gibson
Mr R Hunter
Mrs A McAllister
Mrs C McGuinness
Miss B Proctor
The Maths department is a dedicated and enthusiastic team of teachers who have much experience in examining at all levels of this subject.
Staff ensure a welcoming and effective learning environment, where students are expected to work hard and develop their skills in this subject. In turn they can expect to be fully supported at each stage of their study.
Mathematics has been described as the art of calculation, a language and a science. Mathematicians do not simply perform calculations or solve equations but seek to find the answers to unanswered questions. Mathematics is also viewed as a way of thinking, with an emphasis on the ability to reason logically and use Mathematics as an effective means of communication.
Students will have the opportunity to further develop their knowledge; model and solve real life problems; begin to appreciate the relationships between different areas of Mathematics and realise the relevance to other subjects and areas of work.
We aim to ensure each student:
Students enjoy taking part in annual Maths Challenges, such as:
UKMT Maths Challenge – Our GCSE students regularly enjoy good success gaining gold, silver and bronze certificates.
Senior Maths Team Challenge – A team of four Year 13 and Year 14 students takes part in the Senior Maths Team Challenge. Our students thrive under the exciting competitive atmosphere and enjoy meeting other Mathematics students from different schools.
Examination Board: CCEA
This is a core subject which enables students to use mathematics as a tool for learning across the curriculum. Students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary for the application of concepts in a practical context. They will use their skills of logic and reason to solve problems.
| Content | Assessment | Weighting |
| Module M3 or M4 | Written Examination (with calculator) | 45% |
| Module M6, M7 or M8 | Written Examination ( one paper without calculator and one with calculator) | 55% |
Each unit contains elements of Number and Algebra, Geometry and Measures and Handling Data.
This subject is a necessary numeracy qualification for all students.
A grade C or above will be an essential requirement for entry to further courses of study and future employment. A number of A Level courses will require a grade B and if a student obtains a grade A from modules M4 and M8, they may proceed to study A Level Mathematics.
There is no controlled assessment for GCSE Mathematics.
Examination Board: CCEA
This is a subject developed for high-attaining students who wish to broaden their mathematical experience. The course provides the essential foundation for study of A Level Mathematics and is also a very useful subject for those students wishing to study A Level Physics.
| Content | Assessment | Weighting |
| Unit 1: Pure Mathematics Algebra, trigonometry, logarithms, matrices and calculus | Written Examination | 50% |
| Unit 2: Mechanics Kinematics, vectors, forces and moments | Written Examination | 25% |
| Unit 3: Statistics Probability distributions and bivariate analysis | Written Examination | 25% |
Further Mathematics allows students to access the knowledge and develop the skills for the study of subjects such as sciences, geography, business, economics and technology. This will lead many of them to careers in science, engineering, finance and accounting.
Students considering studying GCSE Further Maths are required to complete this assessment to ascertain if this is a suitable pathway.
For more information on this assessment please go to Parents/Policies & Documents – Information on the Further Maths Assessment for Year 11 Subject Choice
AS Mathematics follows on from the work covered in GCSE Further Mathematics – many topics will be familiar, but are now considered in greater detail.
Entry Requirements: A high Grade B in GCSE Further Mathematics or a high Grade A in GCSE Mathematics (from M4 and M8) if you did not study GCSE Further Mathematics.
Students follow the CCEA specification.
| Content | Assessment | Weighting |
| AS Unit 1: Pure Algebraic & functions, coordinate geometry, sequences & series, trigonometry, exponentials & logarithms, differentiation, integration and vectors | 1 ¾ hour written paper | 24% of full A-level |
| AS Unit 2: Applied Mechanics – Kinematics, forces and Newton’s laws Statistics – Sampling, data presentation & interpretation, probability and statistical distribution. | 1 ¼ hour written paper | 16% of full A-level |
A similar format is completed at A2 with students taking:
| Content | Assessment | Weighting |
| A2 Unit 1: Pure Algebraic & functions, coordinate geometry, sequences & series, trigonometry, differentiation, integration and numerical methods | 2 ½ hour written paper | 36% of full A-level |
| AS Unit 2: Applied Mechanics – Kinematics, moments, impulse & momentum Statistics – Probability, statistical distribution and hypothesis testing | 1 ½ hour written paper | 24% of full A-level |
Full details of the specification can be found at http://www.ccea.org.uk/mathematics/
This allows students to take a second Mathematics A level. The course is an extension of the material covered in AS and A2 Mathematics and is particularly suited to able mathematicians who wish to become highly proficient in this subject. Further Mathematics provides an excellent background for further study in Mathematics, Physics and Engineering. It is also designated as a “desirable” subject for some highly competitive university courses in Economics.
Entry Requirements: Minimum A grades in GCSE Mathematics (from M4 and M8) and GCSE Further Mathematics.
Students complete their AS in Year 13 by taking the following modules:
| Content | Assessment | Weighting |
| AS Unit 1: Pure Complex numbers, matrices and vectors | 1 ½ hour written paper | 20% of full A-level |
| AS Unit 2: Mechanics Hooke’s law, work & energy, power, circular motion, relative velocity, gravitation & dimensions | 1 ½ hour written paper | 20% of full A-level |
A similar format is completed at A2 with students taking:
| Content | Assessment | Weighting |
| A2 Unit 1: Pure Proof, further algebra & functions, complex numbers, further calculus, polar curves, hyperbolic functions and differential equations | 2 ¼ hour written paper | 30% of full A-level |
| AS Unit 2: Mechanics Simple harmonic motion, damped oscillations, centre of mass, frameworks, circular motion, further kinematics, force systems in 2-D and restitution. | 2 ¼ hour written paper | 30% of full A-level |
Full details of the specification can be found at http://www.ccea.org.uk/mathematics/
A level Mathematics provides the basis for study of the following courses at degree level:
Mathematics; Physics; Engineering; Business; Accountancy; Finance; Economics; Computer Software Design.
Further Mathematics provides a distinct advantage in first year university study of Mathematics, Physics and Engineering courses and is advisable if applying for these subjects to Oxbridge, Warwick, Durham etc.
Some useful websites to consider are:
