Mathematics is a successful and very popular subject in the school, with most Year 7 students listing it as one of their favourites and some 100 students regularly pursuing it beyond GCSE each year.

We boast a well-qualified staff who share a passion for the subject whilst each having their specialist areas, and we are always willing to discuss curriculum work and recreational mathematics with students outside of lessons.

All students in Year 7 and Year 8 are entered for the UK Junior Mathematical Challenge and several boys each year achieve sufficiently high scores to be invited to enter the Junior Mathematical Olympiad. In the past, several boys have won medals in this event. In Year 9, students in the accelerated group are entered for the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge.

We also take part in the Hans Woyda Mathematics Competition every year, which gives some of the most able students from years 9, 11, 12 and 13 the opportunity to compete against similarly gifted students from other local schools.

There are many opportunities for sixth form students to extend their enjoyment of Mathematics beyond the classroom. Trips are arranged to various lectures, both locally and in London. Those studying Further Mathematics are entered for the UKMT Senior Mathematical Challenge, with many students progressing to the Olympiad stage, and for the last few years, we have entered teams in the Senior Team Challenge.

United Kingdom Mathematics Trust

Contact Head of KS3 Mathematics

Contact Head of Further Mathematics

Contact Head of Faculty (Mathematics)

KS3

Mathematics in Year 7

Year 7 students are taught in groups of 27 students. They have seven 45-minute lessons per fortnight, with approximately 40 to 60 minutes of homework set each week.

Soon after arrival at Sutton Grammar, boys are given an assessment test to establish their attainment on entry and to provide a benchmark for monitoring future progress. Thereafter, tests are set regularly across the year group.

The course textbook is ‘Essential Mathematics 7H’ by David Rayner and Michael White, chosen for its mathematical thoroughness and compatibility with the National Curriculum. Other materials from various sources supplement this text including the Sparx Maths online platform, which is used for some homework tasks.

Mathematics in Year 8

Year 8 students continue to be taught in tutor groups of 27 each. They have seven 45-minute lessons per fortnight, with approximately 60 minutes of homework set each week. Students are given regular tests across the year to monitor overall progress. These tests and the final examination are also used to help identify the most appropriate set for the coming year.

The course textbook is ‘Essential Mathematics 8H’ by David Rayner and Michael White, chosen for its mathematical thoroughness and compatibility with the National Curriculum. Other materials from various sources supplement this text including the Sparx Maths online platform, which is used for some homework tasks.

Mathematics in Year 9

Students will have been taught in tutor groups in years 7 and 8, but at the start of year 9, they are set. Depending on timetabling constraints, the boys will either be set (a) entirely according to ability or (b) in two parallel streams.

Option (a)
If set entirely, the sets will be labelled 1,2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 4.
Sets 1 and 2 are for our most able mathematicians and will have 30 students in each group. Set 4 is for those students who we feel would benefit from more individual attention in lessons and have fewer students, usually no more than eighteen. All other students are divided between sets 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 in such a way as to keep the ability level in these three groups the same.

Option (b)
If in two parallel sets, the groups will be labelled A1, A2, A3.1 A3.2, B1, and B2. The A or B element of your son’s group is determined by his form group with Manor, Warwick and Greyhound being split between A1, A2, A3.1 and A3.2. Set A1 is for the more able students from these 3 forms and is a group of 30 students. Similarly, Lenham and Throwley are split between B1 and B2. B1 is a group of 30 of the more able students from these forms.

The decisions about which set individual students have been placed in are informed by their performance throughout years 7 and 8, looking at test, exam and maths challenge results together with their teacher’s assessment of how they might respond to a change of pace. We review these decisions regularly and adjust the grouping when necessary. Test results will be taken into account, but will not be the only deciding factor. A further adjustment will be made after the year 9 examination.

In year 10 we will move to 6 groups which will be set entirely on ability as students will have their lessons at the same time. Being in set A1 or B1 does not mean that you will automatically be in set 1 in year 10.

All students, no matter which group they are in, will study the same mathematics curriculum and be entered for the higher tier of the GCSE at the end of year 11. Because students in the top sets will work faster through curriculum topics, they will have time to look at enrichment material which is not part of the GCSE course. Rest assured no-one is denied the opportunity to study mathematics or further mathematics at A level, simply by virtue of their maths set.

The course textbook is ‘Essential Maths 9H’ by David Rayner, chosen for its mathematical thoroughness, interest and compatibility with the National Curriculum. Other materials from various sources supplement this text including the Sparx Maths online platform, which is used for some homework tasks.

Students continue to have seven 45-minute lessons per fortnight and will be expected to spend approximately 60 minutes on homework each week. Furthermore, they will be tested at regular intervals throughout year 9 and there is a school exam in the Summer term.

KS4

Specification – Pearson Edexcel – Mathematics (1MA1)

In mathematics the course content and the teaching methods are designed to enable students to acquire mathematical skills and use them with confidence; this includes applying mathematics in everyday situations and other school subjects, such as the sciences and the humanities. An important aim is to use mathematics clearly and concisely as a language. Students will be encouraged to reason logically, to generalise, to solve problems and to communicate their solutions effectively. A good GCSE grade in Mathematics is likely to be required for most careers and courses of further education, including those with little or no direct mathematical content.

In Years 7 and 8 students are taught in tutor groups. From Year 9 onwards students are taught in sets. Sets 1 and 2 are for our most able mathematicians and will have 30 students in each group. Set 4 is for those students who we feel would benefit from more individual attention in lessons and have fewer students, usually no more than eighteen. All other students are divided between sets 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 in such a way as to keep the ability level in these three groups the same.

The decisions about which set individual students are placed in is informed by their performance throughout Year 7 and 8 (for Year 9 sets) and Year 9 (for Year 10 sets), looking at both test and exam results, and their teacher’s holistic assessment of which set would be most suitable. We review these decisions regularly, and adjustments are made when we feel it is appropriate.

All students, no matter which group they are in, will study the same mathematics curriculum and be entered for the higher tier of the GCSE at the end of year 11. We use the Edexcel linear course, which is assessed by three terminal examinations, one of which is a non-calculator.

There is no acceleration as such, but because students in the top sets will work faster through curriculum topics, they will have time to look at enrichment material which is not part of the GCSE (or A level) course. Looking ahead, this means that no one is denied the opportunity to study mathematics or further mathematics at A level simply by virtue of their maths set.

KS5

Specification – Pearson Edexcel – Mathematics (9MA0)

Specification – Pearson Edexcel – Further Mathematics (9FM0)

Mathematics at A level builds on GCSE work. It involves the application of theoretical concepts to real life problems, simplifying and modelling them where appropriate in order to provide solutions.

Students will develop skills in reasoning, logic and proof and will understand when the use of technology in Mathematics is effective and appropriate. Questions will often be less structured than at GCSE and require students to think through problems and decide on appropriate strategies and techniques.

Mathematics serves as a useful support for other courses as well as being a sought-after qualification in the workplace and Higher Education. Courses that require Mathematics at A level, or are strongly related, include accountancy, engineering, psychology, economics, medicine, architecture, teaching, environmental studies, computing and IT.

We follow the Edexcel A level course, which is examined using three terminal papers. Two pure maths papers and one applied paper (statistics and mechanics).

Further Mathematics A level builds on both GCSE and A level work and is frequently studied by those with a passion for mathematics who are considering university courses with high maths content such as Mathematics, Computing, Economics, Physics and Engineering.

We follow the Edexcel A level Further Maths course, which is examined using four terminal papers. Two core maths papers and one paper each in statistics and mechanics.

Department Magazine
Prime – Volume IV