Maths

Staff

Vision

Our vision for Mathematics at LIS ensures every pupil is given a broad, balanced, engaging and relevant curriculum. 

We believe that all children should have:

• A positive and resilient attitude towards mathematics and an awareness of the fascination of mathematics.

• an ability to accurately solve problems, reason, think logically and work systematically in a variety of contexts

• mathematical fluency that allows them to express ideas confidently using mathematical language or representations

• independence so that they can take responsibility for their own learning

KS3

At KS3 we aim to cover a coherent and connected 3 year KS3 curriculum, deploying teaching for mastery strategies whilst ensuring pupils are given the opportunity to fully grasp concepts and can apply themselves. Pupils understanding and application are assessed through unit tests.

Our timeline for KS3 can be found below:

KS4

KS4 follows a two year programme focusing on developing skills in numeracy and perfecting problem-solving techniques to prepare students for final examinations and further study.

The department follows the EDEXCEL Mathematics 1MA1 specification. There are two tiers of entry – Foundation and Higher. The Foundation tier targets grades 5 to 1. The Higher tier targets grades 9 to 4. There are 3 papers at each level. Paper 1 is a non-calculator paper. Papers 2 and 3 are calculator papers. All papers are worth 80 marks.

Grade boundaries for Edexcel Maths June papers can be found here

https://mathsbot.com/gcse/boundaries

Regular assessments are used to monitor students’ progress along with feedback from teachers. Students are also given homework linked to the work completed in lesson in order to consolidate their learning.

Our timeline for KS3 can be found below:

Homework

You can expect weekly homework which will take a range of forms including online assignments and paper booklets to complete. These must always be done to the best of your ability; sub-standard work will not be accepted.

Additional information 

GCSE Maths has a Foundation tier (grades 1-5) and a Higher tier (grades 4-9). Students must take three question papers at the same tier. There will be two calculator papers and one non-calculator paper. All papers will include a mix of question styles, from short, single-mark questions to multi-step problems. The mathematical demand increases as a student progresses through the paper. For all question papers, students are expected to have mathematical instruments available for use in the exam. These instruments are defined as: pencil (for use in diagrams only), ruler, pair of compasses, protractor. A calculator is required for use in two out of the three papers. It is essential for any student to have a scientific calculator which they are familiar with in lessons and in the exams. 

More information regarding the GCSE can be found at this link

How parents/carers can support their child

Ensure students are

• Completing online and written homework

• Encourage children to solve problems when at home

• Create a revision timetable and ensure that they adhere to it

Possible Careers

GCSE Mathematics course will provide excellent skills to continue studies in Mathematics to A Levels.

Examples of careers with Mathematics include:

• Engineer

• Doctor

• Accountant

• Investment analyst

• Lecturer/teacher

• Meteorologist

• Statistician

• Actuary

• Surveyors

• Astronomer

Useful Websites

https://www.pearsonactivelearn.com/

Access to online courses and textbook

Login: same as school login, Password: littleilford

https://vle.mathswatch.co.uk/vle/

Username: student school login followed by @littleilford, Password: littleilford

Mathswatch is an online programme which gives students access to videos and practise questions with answers for the full mathematics curriculum. Teachers are also able to set homework through Mathswatch

Mathswatch is an excellent resource for:

• Researching a topic before a lesson

• Reinforcing knowledge from class

• Revising for exams

• Catching up with work after absences

Name of person in the Maths Department who parents can contact if they need more information about the syllabus:

Head of Maths - Mr I. ALI