A Parents’ Guide to the Lower and Middle School Curriculum
A number of decisions are made at various times concerning your son’s progress in Mathematics through the Third, Upper Third, Fourth, Divisions and Fifth forms, and the purpose of this document is to help parents to understand what is going on and when.
Exams
All our pupils take IGCSE Mathematics. About half of them take IGCSE at the end of the Fifth Form year, together with their other IGCSE’s; the remainder take IGCSE a year early, in the Divisions, and proceed to a more advanced course called Additional Mathematics (FSMQ).
Setting
Boys are taught in sets for Maths from the start of their School career, but the initial setting is highly provisional as we recognise that it is based on limited evidence. All boys in their first term follow the same course. Resetting takes place after tests in November of the Third and Fourth Form years, after exams in the summer of the Third, Upper Third and Fourth Form years, and for those not taking IGCSE early, after exams in the summer of the Divisions year. In addition, those boys considered borderline for taking IGCSE early (typically those in the fourth and fifth out of eight sets) are monitored very carefully through the Divisions year to ensure that they are correctly set. Set changes are never based entirely on exam results, but always depend at least equally on the professional judgement of the teacher involved. Experience shows that this very careful consideration of what is best for each individual boy produces a very accurate decision on who should take the exam early.
We aim to ensure that all pupils are given work which will stretch them to the right extent
IGCSE
This exam is now taken by a large number of independent schools. We consider it more appropriate for academic pupils, and all the evidence is that the results are at the very least comparable with those for “home” GCSE. For further details, please click here to read about IGCSE elsewhere on the site.
Extras
We encourage the intelligent use of IT resources to enhance maths learning. NRICH, the Mathematics Enrichment Project, is the name of an online maths club, supported by the Royal Institution and the University of Cambridge; it can be found at: http://www.nrich.maths.org.uk/
Another recommended site is http://www.plus.maths.org/
which is an online magazine about developments in maths, aimed at school pupils.
If you are interested in mathematical software packages for home computers, we recommend the use of:
- A versatile spreadsheet for maths investigations (the School uses Microsoft Excel)
- A symbol- and graph-handling package (the School uses Derive)
- An interactive geometry package (the School uses Geometer’s Sketchpad or Autograph)
Appropriate investigations and other activities are available from us.
| Timetable |
| Third Form |
| |
Start of Autumn Term |
Boys are set on the basis of their entrance exam.
Three sets. |
| |
End of Autumn Term |
Common test. Set changes where appropriate. |
| |
End of Summer Term |
Common exam. Set changes where appropriate. |
| Upper Third |
| |
End of Autumn Term |
Common test. Set changes where appropriate. |
| |
End of Summer Term |
Common exam. Decisions on Fourth Form sets. |
| Fourth Form |
| |
Start of Autumn Term |
Boys are set on the basis of Entrance or Scholarship exams or Upper Third results. Eight parallel sets, following the same course. |
| |
End of Autumn Term |
Common tests on term’s work. Set changes where appropriate. Eight sets, of which, usually, the top four are now considered as probable early entry. Top sets begin faster syllabus. |
| |
End of Summer Term |
Exams. Set changes where appropriate. |
| Divisions |
| |
End of Autumn Term |
Decisions about who takes IGCSE early. Letter sent to all parents. |
| |
Spring Term |
Trial exams for those taking IGCSE early. |
| |
Summer Term |
IGCSE examination, or internal examination. Set changes where appropriate. |
| Fifth Form |
| |
Autumn Term |
Faster sets begin Additional Maths course (FSMQ). |
| |
Spring Term |
Trial exams for all. |
| |
Summer Term |
IGCSE or FSMQ examination. |
