Clifton College Website

Mathematics

Mathematics has a proud tradition at Clifton College. As a core component within the National Curriculum it is studied by all students up to GCSE, and Mathematics is the most popular A-level subject in the Sixth Form. The range of valuable, transferable skills that Mathematics develops and the value that leading Universities attach to Advanced Level Mathematical qualifications, place the subject at the heart of the School’s curriculum.

Head of Mathematics
Mr Gilbert Simmons BSc
Teachers
Mr Christopher Gardiner BSc MSc Mr Robert Beever BEng Miss Alex Tebay BSc Mr Matthew Kendry BA MEng Mr Michael Haynes BSc Mr John Barrett MA Dr Clive Jones BA DPhil Mr Mike West BA

Resources

The Department is situated in the Coulson Centre in 7 well-equipped classrooms spread over two floors. At its heart are a Department Office and a networked suite of 16 PCs.

All the classrooms are connected to the School’s network and use of technology is a regular feature of the teaching, using the projector and PC contained in every room.

The Percival Library and the Departmental Library contain Mathematics sections which include a range of books which the students can use to read beyond the syllabus and a range of Mathematical software is available.

Teaching

Teaching takes place across all year groups and ability levels and the Department’s policy is to set by ability.

There are currently 7 or 8 sets in each year from Year 9 to Year 11 studying towards examinations in the EDEXCEL IGCSE or OCR Modular GCSE. The top set sit their IGCSE at the end of Year 10 or the beginnning of Year 11, and they then go on to study for an AS module or the Additional Mathematics Free Standing Mathematics Qualification.

At AS and A-level we currently teach a range of EDEXCEL modules covering Pure Mathematics, Mechanics and Statistics.

There are normally 5 single Mathematics sets in the Lower Sixth as well as 2 Further Mathematics groups. In the Upper Sixth the 5 single Mathematics sets are usually combined to become 4 sets to cover the A2 Modules.

A-level combinations offered: C1 – 4, M1, S1 for single Mathematics, and FP1 – 3, M2 – 3 and S2 in addition for Further Mathematics.

In 2007 the Upper Sixth produced 56 Mathematics A-Level ‘A’ grades. Over the last three years the yearly percentage of ‘A’ grades at A-Level has been 74% on average.

Further Maths

We have a strong tradition of success in Further Mathematics and the number of students studying both Mathematics and Further Mathematics continues at a very high level – 17 in each of the two sixth form year groups.

It is customary for some of the Further Mathematics students to sit the STEP papers and extra classes are run to assist them.

Extra Activities & National Competitions

We run additional Clinics at least once a week to provide pupils with the opportunity to discuss any problems one-to-one with a teacher or simply to come and work on their Mathematics.

Prize puzzles also run every few weeks offering challenges to all students from the 3rd Form to the Further Mathematicians – there are book vouchers on offer as rewards!

Each year we enter students for the United Kingdom Mathematics Challenge at Intermediate and Senior level and the best Mathematicians often go on to take part in the Mathematics Olympiad competitions.

The school hosts the Regional Finals of the Mathematics Team Challenge, where teams of four Year 8 and 9 pupils from schools all over the region gather to compete using arithmetic and problem-solving skills.

Clifton College also occasionally hosts the Bristol Schools Mathematics Competition, which happens twice a year, where over 100 Sixth Formers from local schools gather to attempt testing mathematical problems under a time restriction. We are currently holders of the Lower Sixth title.