Mathematics
Director: Miss Dickson
Mathematics at Coppice Performing Arts School is taught to all students in years 7 – 11. Upon joining the school in Year 7, students are placed into 8 classes. They are then grouped for mathematics lessons into 8 ability sets based primarily on Key Stage 2 mathematics 100 scores. There are opportunities for students to move sets following formal (and informal) assessments each year.
Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are taught within the department, but have extra support within the class to support their needs. In general, no classes are larger than 32 in size and the lower ability groups tend to be much smaller.
Learning Environment & Resources
The Mathematics Department is situated within the Discovery Zone and has 8 teaching rooms. All teaching rooms have interactive white boards as well as access to ICT facilities and a variety of practical equipment to aid investigational work. A range of software is available for use in lessons or for revision purposes. A trolley of iPads are also available for use within the department.
Target setting within the department has been inherent for many years and teachers are expected to take responsibility for ensuring their own teaching groups maintain or outstrip their projections. High standards are encouraged throughout. Discipline within the department is good with the school following an assertive discipline procedure.
Key Stage 3
Students in Years 7 and 8 have 3 mathematics lessons each week.
Schemes of work are in use for all levels of work and Key Stage 3 is based on the new national curriculum which includes Number, Shape and Space, Algebra and Data Handling.
Key Stage 4
Students start GCSE mathematics in Year 9 and have 3 lessons each week. Year 10 and 11 also have 3 lessons a week. We currently follow the Edexcel GCSE for both Higher and Foundation tiers.
In GCSE, more advanced skills are learnt such as Pythagoras’ Theorem, Trigonometry and more difficult algebraic skills and graphs. Students must show that they are able to analyse and interpret data as well as studying more advanced probability.
Post 16
GCSE
All students that have not gained a Grade 4 or above must continue to study mathematics until they achieve this standard pass. Students will be retested in November and June and currently follow the Edexcel GCSE Foundation tier.
AS and A Level
Students who have gained a Grade 6 or higher at GCSE will be accepted onto the A Level course as long as they have sufficient grades to get into Sixth Form. We follow the Edexcel examination course which has 3 two hour externally examined papers. These are completed in the Summer of the final year of study.
