Maths

‘…………….thank you for my son’s GCSE in maths. He has struggled with maths all of his life and used to dread the lessons but you have given him confidence and understanding - and a qualification which he did not believe he was capable of achieving. We are delighted with his results, and very grateful to you all.’ - From a Parents letter

Meet the Maths department:
Lets be honest maths is fun! If you enjoy what you are doing then you will learn.

For the last three years we are proud to boast that our pupils achieved a 100% pass rate at GCSE. At A level we normally have the largest intake in the school and last year an amazing 80% of our pupils achieved the coveted A grade.

Setting and group
All year groups are set. In Year 7 the smallest set has about 5 pupils with the largest having no more than 20 pupils. This small average class size allows us to tailor the direction and themes of the course to the individual. We keep a close eye on the mathematical development of our pupils and once a week the groups are rotated, with the more able mathematicians put into a smaller size set and given a different array of mathematical problems to work on. This may be puzzles, problem solving, or even involve extending their current work in a different direction to the general syllabus.

In Year 8 a similar pattern is followed. Here the smaller, more able set, is given scholarship level material.
As more pupils join the school in year 9 we use three maths rooms on the top floor of the Abbey. The main room has an interactive smart board and a dedicated set of computers.

At the Abbey we subscribe to a popular interactive web site called ‘mymaths’ which enables pupils to work at their own pace and get instant feedback. A great way to consolidate a topic and judge an individual pupils level of understanding. This facility also enables us to set homework that can be accessed and completed online.

At GCSE pupils get all the support they want and are encouraged to meet with teachers outside lesson time, sometimes even at the weekends, to help with any last minute questions and calm the inevitable exam nerves. It is this level of individual attention and the dedicated nature of the Maths program to the individual that enables us to achieve such enviable Maths results.

We love maths and hope that our passion for numbers and especially algebra is caught by the pupils!