The Mathematics Department aims to:

• Develop, maintain and stimulate students’ interest and enjoyment in Mathematics.
• Develop within students, the ability to think mathematically – precisely, logically and creatively. To encourage students to think for themselves and to apply their knowledge to a range of problems in a variety of contexts.
• Stress the importance of Mathematics in everyday life and develop an understanding of the part which Mathematics plays in the world around them.
• Develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to apply a range of mathematical concepts to situations which may arise in their own lives.
• Encourage students to produce work of the highest quality.
• Offer a variety of approaches to teaching and learning to engage and motivate pupils and demand their active participation.

KEY STAGE 3

Pupils in Years 8, 9 and 10 are scheduled for five periods of Mathematics a week. In Years 8 and 9 the pupils follow the Revised Key Stage 3 NI curriculum. The Revised Curriculum states that Mathematics is fundamental to life in the sense that its unique language and forms of notation help us to calculate, estimate and problem-solve. It also informs many of the choices and decisions we make about real-life issues and challenges and the actions that we subsequently take. Through engagement with issues which have current and future relevance to young people, teachers can help pupils to see the relevance of mathematics and financial capability to real life. In Year 10, pupils currently sit the KS3 CCEA Mathematics examination in which they can obtain a grade between Level 4 and Level 8. The Schemes of Work have ICT incorporated into them and all members of the department are encouraged to use the ICT suites throughout the year with all KS3 classes.

GCSE

Pupils in Years 11 and 12 have six periods of Mathematics a week. The CCEA GCSE Two-Tier specification offers two levels of entry: Foundation Tier and Higher Tier. This flexibility allows students with wide ranges of ability to demonstrate achievement.
For each tier of entry, papers target the following range of grades:

Tier	Grades Available
Higher Tier	A*, A, B, C, D
Foundation Tier	C, D, E, F, G

In Year 11 there is one Fast Track class who sit their GCSE Mathematics with CCEA in one year. This course consists of two modules and both these modules are sat in June. The other four classes sit the first module in June of Year 11 and the second module in June of Year 12.

The pupils who complete their GCSE in one year study CCEA Additional Mathematics in Year 12. This examination is intended to cater for those candidates who are capable of working beyond the limits of the existing GCSE Mathematics Specification. The scheme of assessment will comprise two written papers.

Paper 1 (2 hours): 50% will examine topics in Pure Mathematics.
Paper 2 (2 hours): 50% will examine topics in Mechanics and Statistics.

Grades are awarded from A* – E inclusive.

A LEVEL

A Level Mathematics builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding that students have developed in their previous study of mathematics up to GCSE level. A study of GCSE Additional Mathematics is beneficial but is not a requirement. However, students wishing to study A level Mathematics must have an A or A* at GCSE as well as an A or A* in both modules.
Pupils follow the EDEXCEL A Level Specification and this consists of six modules which are all graded equally. The modules studied are:

Core Mathematics

C1 Algebra and functions; coordinate geometry in the (x, y) plane; sequences and series; differentiation; integration.
C2 Algebra and functions; coordinate geometry in the (x, y) plane; sequences and series; trigonometry; exponentials and logarithms; differentiation; integration.
C3 Algebra and functions; trigonometry; exponentials and logarithms; differentiation; numerical methods.
C4 Algebra and functions; coordinate geometry in the (x, y) plane; sequences and series; differentiation; integration; vectors.

Mechanics

M1
Mathematical models in mechanics; vectors in mechanics; kinematics of a particle moving in a straight line; dynamics of a particle moving in a straight line or plane; statics of a particle; moments.

Statistics

S1
Mathematical models in probability and statistics; representation and summary of data; probability; correlation and regression; discrete random variables; discrete distributions; the Normal distribution.

In Year 13 students sit C1 and M1 in January and C2 and S1 in June.
In Year 14 students sit C3 in January and C4 in June.

Students with a qualification in A level Mathematics have experienced success in further and higher education. Mathematicians generally define their work as solving theoretical and practical problems concerned with engineering, economics, marketing, physical sciences, computing and statistics. As a result, they are much in demand, particularly in actuarial work and in finance. There is also a substantial and increasing demand for mathematicians to work in the science and electronics-based industries and engineering.