Through the study of Mathematics students develop their thinking skills and a love of problem solving. Students develop the ability to be effective mathematical communicators by organising and articulating their thoughts methodically when approaching a problem and are able to present their solutions in a clear and logical way.
We deliver a well-structured and comprehensive curriculum which builds upon and strengthens prior learning. The curriculum is cumulative in nature, allowing skills to be built upon over the course of each Key Stage and enabling students to develop fluency both numerically and algebraically in order to ensure they have secure foundations and they develop the capacity to engage with more complex mathematical skills. Students learn to become effective mathematical communicators both verbally and in written work.
As a subject which underpins areas of the wider school curriculum we help students to develop an understanding of how the skills learnt within Mathematics relate to other subjects, and to the wider world. When introducing new concepts we focus on the ‘why’ as well as the ‘how’, providing opportunities for rules to be derived and proved which strengthens understanding and appreciation for the connections between different areas of the curriculum.
Regular opportunities for assessments are incorporated to enable students to demonstrate their understanding and to reflect upon their learning. The curriculum provides opportunities for students to develop a love of problem solving and a desire to reach a solution – even if the first (or further) attempt(s) fail. Students develop independence, resilience and confidence in applying skills to less familiar situations. In Years 8 to 11 students are set by ability and the curriculum is adapted to suit the needs of the learners with the pace and content designed to allow each student to achieve their potential.
Participating in enrichment experiences beyond the classroom offers students the chance to apply their mathematics in new and varied ways. They are able to develop their problem solving skills whilst making connections to different elements both within Mathematics and across the curriculum.
Three weekly Mathematics clubs are running this year:
- KS3 Maths Club (for Year 7-9): A prefect-run lunchtime club where students can work collaboratively on a range of challenging Maths puzzles.
- KS4 Maths drop-in: A prefect-run lunchtime club for Year 10 and 11 students to come along with questions or to revise topics.
- Senior Maths Society: A prefect-run society where students enjoy working on challenging Maths questions, with a focus on getting students to think beyond the curriculum.
In addition, we run a weekly Sixth form Maths drop-in session where two members staff are available to provide additional support.
We also run a number of activities coordinated by the UK Maths Trust. This includes:
- The UKMT Mathematics Challenge at Junior, Intermediate and Senior level which offers a great opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in less familiar or conventional situations.
- The Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (MOG) which is a very challenging competition for our most able A-Level mathematicians.
- The Team Maths Challenge where a team of 4 Year 8/9 students compete against teams from other schools from the local area and have the potential to progress to the final to compete at national level.
- The Senior Team Maths Challenge where a team of 4 Year 12/13 students compete against teams from other schools from the local area and have the potential to progress to the final to compete at national level.
Teams of Year 7, 8 and 10 students also participate in team competitions coordinated by Herts for Learning where they have the opportunity to compete against other local schools.