- Home
- Students
- Subjects
- Mathematics
Mathematics
| Head of Maths |
Dr N Hawkins |
|---|---|
| Assistant Head of Maths |
Mr H Read |
|
KS5 Monitoring & Progress/Enrichment Lead |
Mr R Maphosa |
| Maths Teachers |
Miss R Atkinson, Ms J Crossingham, Mr T Curd, Mrs C Robbins, Mr A Sheldon, Mrs P Toshniwal |
| LSA Support |
Mrs A Hickey |
| Curriculum Support |
Mrs C Salter |
Welcome to the Mathematics Department at Chelmer Valley High School
At Chelmer Valley High School we are passionate about making mathematics meaningful, engaging, and accessible for all students. Our dedicated Maths Department is committed to fostering a genuine love of the subject, showing how it underpins so many aspects of everyday life. We aim to empower students with the confidence and curiosity to see maths not just as a subject, but as a vital skillset that opens doors to endless possibilities.
Curriculum
We teach mathematics from Year 7 through to Year 13.
Our curriculum is carefully designed to build strong foundations in fluency while encouraging ambition and resilience. As students progress, they are encouraged to think more deeply through embedded problem-solving and reasoning tasks that challenge and extend their understanding. This balanced approach not only supports mastery but also prepares students for the demands of formal assessment. To enhance this, we regularly incorporate exam-style questions—both in class on paper and through the use of specialised digital tools—providing valuable experience and helping students develop effective strategies over time. Learning is further reinforced through well-aligned homework, delivered via Sparx Maths, an intelligent online platform that tailors tasks to individual needs, supporting consolidation and steady progress at a personalised pace.
GCSE
At Chelmer Valley High School, students study GCSE Mathematics through the Edexcel exam board, following a spiral curriculum model. This approach allows key mathematical concepts to be revisited and developed over time, helping students to strengthen their understanding, retain knowledge more effectively, and make deeper connections across topics. The course is designed to build fluency, encourage mathematical reasoning, and develop strong problem-solving skills—essential for both academic success and everyday life. Assessment takes place at the end of Year 11 through three equally weighted exam papers—one non-calculator and two calculator papers. We offer both Foundation and Higher Tier entry routes to ensure all students are appropriately supported and challenged.
The curriculum covers a broad range of topics, including:
-
Number – developing numerical fluency, working with fractions, decimals, percentages, and standard form.
-
Algebra – exploring expressions, equations, sequences, graphs, and algebraic manipulation.
-
Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change – applying proportional reasoning in real-life contexts.
-
Geometry and Measures – understanding shapes, angles, transformations, area, volume, and trigonometry.
-
Statistics and Probability – interpreting data, calculating averages, and understanding probability models.
A-Level
Students studying A Level Mathematics at Chelmer Valley High School follow the Edexcel specification, which offers a rigorous and rewarding course designed to deepen mathematical understanding and analytical thinking. The course is structured around three key areas: Pure Mathematics, Statistics, and Mechanics. Pure Mathematics forms the core of the course and includes topics such as algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and proof. Statistics introduces students to data analysis, probability, and statistical techniques, while Mechanics focuses on modelling physical systems, including motion, forces, and Newton’s laws.
Assessment is through three externally examined papers at the end of Year 13:
-
Paper 1: Pure Mathematics 1 – This paper assesses content from the full Pure Mathematics curriculum, including topics such as algebra, trigonometry, calculus, coordinate geometry, sequences, and vectors. There is no fixed topic allocation, so students must be prepared for any pure content.
-
Paper 2: Pure Mathematics 2 – Like Paper 1, this paper also draws from the entire Pure Mathematics content. It may include any of the same topics as Paper 1, and is designed to test students’ depth of understanding and ability to apply concepts in a variety of contexts.
-
Paper 3: Statistics and Mechanics – This paper is divided into two sections. The Statistics section covers topics such as data presentation, probability, and statistical distributions. The Mechanics section focuses on modelling physical systems, including motion, forces, and Newton’s laws. Together, they assess students’ ability to apply mathematical techniques to real-world scenarios.
Each paper is 2 hours long and equally weighted, contributing one-third to the final A Level grade. Throughout the course, students are supported with high-quality teaching, regular practice, and targeted feedback to help them develop confidence and achieve their full potential.
Enrichment
Beyond the classroom, we are proud to offer a rich and varied programme of enrichment activities that bring mathematics to life and inspire students beyond the curriculum. Our trips have included a Year 7 visit to Bletchley Park, where students explore the fascinating history of codebreaking and its mathematical foundations, and a Year 9 trip to Disneyland Paris, where they investigate the maths behind rollercoaster design and theme park engineering. We also regularly attend Maths Inspiration talks, where students hear from leading mathematicians and professionals about real-world applications of maths in fields such as design, technology, and entertainment.
Within school, we run in-house maths competitions, some of which have earned external recognition and prizes, and we actively participate in national events such as National Numeracy Day, with themed activities designed to engage the whole school community. Our popular Maths Club provides a space for students to explore puzzles, games, and challenges in a fun and supportive environment. We also take part in the UKMT Maths Challenges each year, giving students the opportunity to test their problem-solving skills against others nationally.
Recommended Resources:
All year groups:
-
Sparx Maths (https://sparxmaths.com/) - Log in from RM unify. Use your yellow APP sheets from recent tests to search for videos and questions on key topics.
-
Mathswatch (https://vle.mathswatch.co.uk/vle/) - Use your yellow APP sheet to find topics to revise. Watch videos and practise questions.
GCSE:
-
Mathsgenie (https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk/) - Has practise past papers and student friendly mark schemes. Also, has videos, questions and answers for every single topic.
-
OnMaths (https://www.onmaths.com/) - All past papers available online to practise. Also has predicted papers to practise.
-
Corbettmaths (https://corbettmaths.com/) - Some excellent revision resources available here. 5-a-day questions, practising all GCSE topics.
A-level:
-
Mathsgenie (https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk/) - Has practise past papers and student friendly mark schemes. Also, has videos, questions and answers for every single topic.
-
PMT (https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/) - Has practice questions and answers for all topics, past papers and also a solution bank for all exercises in the Pearson textbook we use in lessons.
-
Bicen Maths (https://www.youtube.com/c/BicenMaths) - Youtube videos for all topics in the course. He also has videos of chapter summaries, general advice and past paper walkthroughs.
Key Stage Three
Key Stage 3
In years 7, 8 and 9 students have 6 lessons a fortnight. One of these lessons is a dedicated computer lesson where students will be using on line platforms to work independently and show that they have progressed in prior classroom lessons.
Students in all years are tested regularly throughout the year and will be given a step to help monitor their progress towards the end of key stage target. Students are set for all lessons in year 7 so will remain with the same teacher throughout. However, in years 8 and 9 there are opportunities for students to move between sets to further improve their progress. These set changes are based on test scores, classwork and attitude.
A number of other on line resources are used in the maths department including:
Full instructions and access information will be given to students by their teachers.
In line with CVHS policies students are required to have the following equipment with them for all lessons:
- Black Pen
- Pencil
- Green Pen
- Ruler
- Protractor
- Eraser
- Pencil Sharpener
- Pair of Compasses
- Scientific Calculator
At least once a year we aim to provide each year group with a Maths Activity Fun Day where students will participate in interesting hands on maths activities based around broad themes for example: money, shape, maths in other cultures and codebreaking.
Should you have any further questions regarding the provision of maths at CVHS please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Farage.
Key Stage Four
Key Stage 4
Mathematics is a core subject, which has a significant influence on possible careers and next steps in to further and higher education as well as the wider world of work and careers.
Students in Years 10 and 11 have 8 lessons a fortnight and are taught in ability sets based on their performance at Key Stage 3. There are opportunities throughout Year 10 to move set where it is appropriate to do so.
Homework is set once a week and can be a mixture of online tasks and written practice questions. We use Mathswatch (link below) extensively to both support teaching and learning as well as being an excellent revision resource.
We will be following a program of study based on the Edexcel GCSE syllabus, sitting the examination in the summer of Year 11. There are two tiers of entry, Foundation and Higher. Both tiers lead towards a GCSE qualification, with grades of 1 to 5 available on the Foundation tier and grades 3 to 9 available on the Higher tier. There is also the opportunity for our highest achievers to study towards an additional GCSE in Further Mathematics.
Numeracy is a lifelong skill and the Mathematics programs of study seek to address this by providing a broad curriculum encompassing Mathematics for life whilst gaining essential qualifications.
There is a focus on developing a deep understanding of the underlying concepts, stretching and challenging the students so that they become used to thinking about problem solving and applying the mathematics learned in earlier key stages regardless of which set they are in.
We aim to get pupils into the right-thinking habits from early on in order to lay the best foundations for those who will choose to study Mathematics beyond GCSE. Methods of teaching seek to add interest and engage all students including disadvantaged and SEND students across the range of abilities and in line with the whole school initiatives.
All of our GCSE teachers are Mathematics specialists and most of them teach through to A-Level Mathematics and A-Level Further Mathematics.
Should you have any further questions please ask your teacher or contact Mr Read.
Key Stage Five
Key Stage 5
A Level Mathematics
Why Study Mathematics at A Level?
A Level Mathematics will teach you a number of important skills that will train you to think logically and help you be able to solve problems in many different situations, not just in mathematics. It is a fun subject to study and it is extremely rewarding and satisfying when you find the solution to a complex task. A Level Mathematics is a qualification that can lead to careers in many different fields, including Architecture, Motorsport, Engineering, Finance, Actuary, Computer Programming and Games Design, to name but a few. A more comprehensive list can be found at http://www.mathscareers.org.uk/. In addition, research shows that having A Level Mathematics enhances your career prospects, even if you are not planning to go into a career that will use mathematics directly. It will also help to make you a competitive candidate when applying for university.
You need to achieve either a 7, 8 or 9 grade in GCSE Mathematics if you wish to study it at A Level.
What will I study if I chose Mathematics at A Level?
The A level course is split into two thirds Pure Mathematics and one third Applied Mathematics. The Applied Mathematics topics are divided equally between Statistics and Mechanics.
Pure Mathematics provides the building blocks and tools that are needed to apply mathematics to real world situations and problems. You study topics that you will have met at GCSE (but in greater depth), as well as new topics. The topics studied during the course include Proof, Algebra and functions, Coordinate geometry in the (x, y) plane, Sequences and series, Trigonometry, Exponentials and logarithms, Differentiation, Integration, Numerical methods, Vectors. In Statistics you will study Statistical sampling, Data presentation and interpretation, Probability, Statistical distributions and Statistical hypothesis testing. In Mechanics you will study Quantities and units in mechanics, Kinematics, Forces and Newton’s laws and Moments.
Further Mathematics
It is possible to study a second A Level in Mathematics, known as Further Mathematics. This option is for very able mathematicians (ideally you will have achieved an 8 at GCSE) and makes you extremely competitive if you want to study subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Engineering or Computer Programming at university. There are a variety of different modules which can be studied and include the pure mathematics topics of complex numbers, matrix algebra, proof by induction, further calculus techniques, polar co-ordinates and hyperbolics. You will also study further modules in Statistics, Mechanics and Decision Mathematics.
If you want to know more about Mathematics at A Level then you can speak directly to your maths teacher, or ask Mr Maphosa or Mr Curd.
My Maths At Home
MyMaths
The school subscribes to the MyMaths website which is an excellent online resource that is used to enhance the learning experience for students. All students have their own personal log in for the site which provides interactive lessons, games, worksheets and revision.
To ensure that MyMaths is able to run correctly on your computer please see the guidance below on setting requirements:
A pop up blocker is the only software that we know of that will prevent a new window from opening. You must allow MyMaths to use pop ups on your machine. In your Internet browser a warning bar appears across the top of the page telling you that a site is trying to use pop ups, you should click on this bar and choose "Allow". (Set to "Always Allow" to prevent this from happening again.)
The MyMaths menu is written in a program called Flash, therefore you need to have Flash Adobe Reader installed. If you right click the MyMaths menu and look at the drop down box you will see which version you have installed. You need to have Adobe Flash Player 8 or newer installed to view the menu.
It is also a good idea to add MyMaths to your list of trusted sites. You can do this by accessing your Internet options, clicking security and then selecting trusted websites.
If you have anti-virus software installed on your computer this can sometimes override computer settings. Make sure to allow pop ups on your anti-virus software.
Core Maths
Core Maths is a Level 3 qualification for students who achieved a Grade 4 (formerly a Grade C) at GCSE mathematics and wish to develop their practical skills so they may apply these in work, study or everyday life.
Core Maths is aimed at increasing the number of post-16 students studying mathematics. It is about students doing meaningful mathematical problems to increase their confidence in using mathematics to be better equipped for the mathematical demands of other A level courses, in particular with science, geography, business studies, economics and psychology.
Many degree level courses and future employment also require a deeper understanding of Maths in context and study of Core Maths supports this.
At Chelmer Valley we study AQA Mathematical Studies which is comprised of the following compulsory content: https://www.stem.org.uk/core-maths
- Critical analysis
- Analysis and interpretation of real statistics
- Maths for personal finance
- Estimation.
We also study Statistical Techniques from the optional modules available to complete the qualification.
For further information see:
