We have a varied curriculum that reviews and develops the students’ prior understanding of Number, Geometry, Statistics and Ratio whilst also incorporating new disciplines such as Algebra. These skills are developed through varied lessons which will entail a mixture of traditional teaching methods, grouped and paired work as well as open ended problems in which the students design investigations to make their own personal discoveries.
We endeavour to maintain and heighten the interest of mathematics that our students possess when they join us. This is achieved through the delivery of our lessons but also through the opportunities we provide outside of the classroom. Our syllabus is designed to maintain challenge over the course of the five years of study. We spiral through the full spectrum of mathematical disciplines revisiting key areas whilst also introducing increasingly complex topics such as simultaneous equations, trigonometry, conditional probability and surds. Our ultimate goal is that all of our students finishing their GCSE studies are prepared with a deep skillset to continue their mathematical studies at A-level and beyond, whether that is in further study of pure mathematics or applying these skills in the sciences, engineering, medicine or many others areas.
If any student under our care is having any difficulties in their mathematics lessons or understanding a certain topic we have many layers of support available. Our classroom teachers intervene and support during their lessons and adapt work such that it can be more readily accessed. We offer additional classes outside lessons where we feel appropriate and can also assign younger students a sixth form mentor who they can meet with on a regular basis.
Mathematics is popular amongst the students at Crossley Heath, this has led to our department having the largest cohort of A Level students of any individual subject in the school. Our teachers are specialists in their areas and all have mathematical related degrees and many years of experience. Students are taught between two teachers such that the specialist topics of statistics and mechanics are taught by those teachers who have a particular specialism in the area. This is increasingly important as the new A-level concentrates more than ever on the wide applications of mathematical modelling.
“Every new cohort of students at Crossley Heath have a proven ability in Mathematics. As a department we see it as our responsibility to ensure that these students are stretched to reach their full potential, whilst accepting that all of our students have a varied background and very different foundations in their mathematical understanding.”
Mr A Smith (Department Leader)