CURRICULUM SUBJECT

Maths

“Mathematics is a more powerful instrument of knowledge than any other that has been bequeathed to us by human agency.

-René Descartes (French philosopher and scientist)

Maths is a fundamental life skill which helps us identify patterns and builds structure in our lives.  Along with English Language, it is a cornerstone of education, facilitating the further study not just of Mathematics but many other subjects. 

All our Mathematics teachers are subject specialists who are passionately committed to achievement in their subject. They work hard to find creative and inspiring ways to teach the core skills of their subject. The lessons are 90 minutes which give plenty of time to learn and apply the concepts in the classroom. Then prep is set in the topic which will further cement the learning. For the more gifted and able mathematician, there are plenty of opportunities where Kew House School regularly submits students for national maths challenges. 

Ability in Maths can vary which is why at Kew House School we offer students the choice of two Maths papers at GCSE: Maths and Foundation Maths. The former covers the whole syllabus and grades students 1-9 while the latter takes core elements and grades up to 5. 

Whilst GCSEs are largely viewed as being a two or three year process, we believe very firmly that pupils in younger years can and should be given the opportunity to develop the skills that will serve them well in later years. It is with this in mind that we endeavour to include a problem-solving element to every topic. All pupils will have every opportunity to work towards sitting the higher paper and will not be restricted early on. We review our schemes of work, teaching resources and lesson delivery regularly to ensure that pupils can achieve their highest possible grade. Pupils can expect to see new, innovative approaches to teaching the subject throughout their time at Kew House and expect to be fully prepared for their public examinations.  

We also offer an Additional Maths qualification in Year 11 (Ad Maths), which helps us to extend our most able, and prepare them for A-Level. Weekly support sessions are offered for all year groups and we offer an open-door policy should pupils want further guidance. 

At A level, we offer both Maths and Further Maths, with pupils having six hours a week of lessons in each. For those pupils considering courses of a highly mathematical nature at University, support is also offered with the appropriate University entrance examinations. 

We look to complement our in-class offering with presentations from invited providers or by attending lectures (Maths Inspiration/ Maths in Action) for older year groups. Shining a light on the broader applications of Mathematics will, we hope, foster greater curiosity and interest in Mathematics. We also enter national competitions such as the UKMT Challenges and are always looking to broaden the range of activities for our pupils.