SUBJECT AIM
In Mathematics there is a strong focus on developing problem-solving skills, reasoning and fluency. It aims to help students understand concepts, apply techniques, solve problems, reason, interpret and communicate mathematically. This will allow our students to appreciate the importance of mathematics in society, employment and study.
WHAT YOU WILL STUDY
The course will cover a wide range of topics in the four key areas of algebra, geometry, measure and data handling. Students will first be taught how to carry out routine procedures requiring multi-step solution in all four areas, which will then allow them to reason, interpret and communicate mathematically and to progress on to solve problems both within mathematics and in other real-life contexts.
HOW WILL YOU BE ASSESSED
Candidates are entered at either Foundation Tier or Higher Tier. Questions in the Foundation Tier papers are targeted at grades 5 to 1. The highest grade which will be awarded at Foundation Tier is grade 5. Questions in the Higher Tier papers are targeted at grades 9 – 4. Some examination questions will be common to both tiers. Calculators are permissible for all papers in the foundation and higher tiers.
Foundation (grades 1-5) | Paper 1 Calculator | Paper 2 Calculator |
50% weighting 2 hour | 50% weighting 2 hour | |
Higher (grades 4 -9) | Paper 1 Calculator | Paper 2 Calculator |
50% weighting 2 hour | 50% weighting 2 hour |
WHAT THIS SUBJECT CAN LEAD TO
- Engineering, Statistician, Mathematics teacher, Financial Advisor, Credit Analyst, Banker, Actuary, Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Research Mathematics, Computer Science, Biomathematics, Cryptography
- Support your appreciation and the importance of mathematics in society, employment and study.
Please click on the arrow for a detailed breakdown:
| THE LEARNING JOURNEY FOR MATHS FOUNDATION | ||||
| Unit / Block of work | Key Episodes / Questions | Colour Code | Length of time (hours) | Learner Attribute(s) |
| Term 1 | ||||
| Sequences | Term- to-term rule; position-to-term rule; nth term; find the next term | Blue | 5 | Communicator |
| Symmetry and angles | lines of symmetry; find missing angles in parallel lines, triangles and quadrilaterals; properties of quadratics; name solids; | Green | 8 | Caring |
| Polygons | Name polygons; interior and exterior angles of polygons; angle sum of polygons | Green | 5 | Knowledgeable |
| Measures and scale drawings | interpret scales; calculate with time; estimate measures; measure angles and lines; scale drawings; convert units | Green | 5 | Principled |
| constructions and bearings | construct triangles and other shapes; perpendicular bisector; bisect an angle | Green | 4 | Open-minded |
| Term 2 | ||||
| Pythagoras and Trigonometry | Pythagoras’ Theorem; Find a missing angle or side using trigonometry | Green | 12 | Thinker |
| Quadratic equations | Expand double brackets; factorise and solve quadratic expressions; plot quadratic graphs | Blue | 5 | Reflective |
| Set notation and Venn diagrams | use set notation; use Venn diagrams to prepresent sets; find probabilities from Venns | Yellow | 7 | Inquirer |
| Term 3 | ||||
| Transformations | rotation; reflection; translation; enlargement; describe transformations | Green | 7 | Balanced |
| simultaneous equations | Solve two simultaneous equations | Blue | 4 | Risk Taker |
| similarity and congruence | Congruence; similar shapes | Green | 5 | Open-minded |
| indices and standard form | use index notation and laws; standard form | Red | 5 | Thinker |
| real life graphs | interpret real life graphs | Yellow | 4 | Reflective |
| THE LEARNING JOURNEY FOR MATHS HIGHER | ||||
| Unit / Block of work | Key Episodes / Questions | Colour Code | Length of time. (hours) | Learner Attribute(s) |
| Term 1 | ||||
| Pythagoras and Trigonometry | Pythagoras in 2D, Trigonometry in 2D | Green | 16 | Thinker |
| Construction and bearings | Perpendicular bisector, angle bisector, scale drawings, draw and measure bearings, return bearings, solve bearings problems. | Green | 8 | Inquirer |
| Quadratics equations, inequalities and graphs | Solve by factorisation, solve by formula or completing the square, form and solve, solve graphically, solve a quadratic inequality. | Blue | 16 | Principled |
| Term 2 | ||||
| Set language | Unions and intesections, elements and subsets, complement of a set. | Yellow | 12 | Knowledgable |
| Venn diagrams | Complete Venn diagrams, interpret Venn diagrams. | Yellow | 12 | Communicator |
| Transformations | Rotations, Translations, Enlargements, Reflections, Describe a transformation. | Green | 10 | Reflective |
| Simultaneous equations | Solve linear, solve quadratic, solve algebraically. | Blue | 10 | Balanced |
| Degrees of accuracy | Upper and lower bounds, solve problems involving bounds. | Red | 8 | Risk Taker |
| Similar shapes | Length scale factors, area and volume scale factors. | Green | 14 | Open-minded |
| Term 3 | ||||
| Indices and standard form | Convert numbers between ordinary form and standard form, four operations | Blue | 8 | Thinker |
| Circle properties | Intersecting chord theorem, cyclic quadrilaterals, alternate segment theorem. | Green | 12 | Thinker |
| Real life graphs | Interpret real life graphs. | Yellow | 4 | Inquirer |
| Ratio and proportion | share in a ratio, direct and inverse proportion, use standard units of measure, currency conversions. | Red | 6 | Communicator |
| Compound measures | Speed, density, pressure, convert area and volume measures. | Green | 10 | Open-minded |
| THE LEARNING JOURNEY FOR MATHS FOUNDATION | ||||
| Unit / Block of work | Key Episodes / Questions | Colour Code | Length of time (hours) | Learner Attribute(s) |
| Ratio and proportion | Divide into a ratio; direct proprtion; converting units; currency conversions; best buys; recipes | Red | 7 | Caring |
| Compound measures | Speed, distance time; density and pressure | Red | 5 | Balanced |
| Probability | Probability scale; Venn diagrams; sample spaces; list outcomes; compliment of an event; mutually exclusive events; expected frequency | Yellow | 9 | Inquirer |
| THE LEARNING JOURNEY FOR MATHS HIGHER | ||||
| Unit / Block of work | Key Episodes / Questions | Colour Code | Length of time. (hours) | Learner Attribute(s) |
| Term 1 | ||||
| Function notation | Domain and range; composite functions; inverse functions. | Blue | 14 | Thinker |
| Harder graphs and transformations of graphs | Plot cubic, reciprocal and trigonometric functions; translate, reflect and stretch functions; find the gradient of a curve using tangents. | Blue | 14 | Reflective |
| Advanced trigonometry | Use the Sine, Cosine rule; area of a triangle; 3D trigonometry and Pythagoras. | Green | 16 | Inquirer |
| Term 2 | ||||
| Probability | Theoretical probability; Venn diagrams; sample spaces; expected frequencies; mutually exclusive events; tree diagrams; conditional probabilities. | Yellow | 12 | Open-minded |
| Calculus | Rates of change; differentiate powers of x; find gradients and stationary points; kinematics. | Blue | 16 | Knowledgable |
| Vectors | Column vectors; modulus of a vector; geometrical proof using vectors. | Green | 12 | Communicator |
| Term 3 | ||||
| Revision | Preparation for iGCSE exams in May/ June | Black | Principled | |