The study of mathematics is mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.
By studying mathematics, students learn to work mathematically – developing fluency, understanding, problem-solving, reasoning and communication skills.
The syllabus consists of the following strands:
- number and algebra
- measurement and geometry
- statistics and probability.
In Year 11 and 12, the study of mathematics is optional. Courses offered include:
- Mathematics Extension 2 (Year 12 only)
- Mathematics Extension 1
- Mathematics Advanced
- Mathematics Standard 2
- Mathematics Standard 1 (Optional HSC examination)
- Mathematics Life Skills.
Tutoring
Lunch tutoring occurs every Wednesday and Thursday. Students are encouraged to bring their lunch, friends and problems with mathematics and seek assistance from teachers and peers. Although all students are welcome, this is ideal for students who are struggling with maths concepts or who have missed maths lessons due to either ill health or involvement in school activities.
Quicksmart program
Quicksmart (QS) is a basic numeracy skills program for Stage 4 students. Students participate in small group sessions to practise and improve timed recall of basic facts and consolidate the use of strategies for calculating number facts. Multiplication, division and problem solving skills are targeted using a variety of short, focused activities.
The focus of the program is to move the students on from relying on slow and error-prone strategies to more sophisticated and efficient strategies. Structured strategy instruction is an important feature of the program. Students gain an understanding of the patterns and relationships found in multiplication tables which they may not have understood or missed in primary school.
Students develop age-appropriate basic mathematics skills and automatic recall of number facts with the QS mantra ‘trust your head’. Relying on their instinctive response gives the student confidence and satisfaction that they have achieved and can achieve.
Importantly, automatic recall frees up the working-memory capacity so that students do not excessively focus on mundane or routine tasks. This enables them to undertake higher order mental processing.
How it runs
Students attend 30 minute sessions, 3 times a week. Commitment to attendance is important.
Concentrating on one number fact at a time, the session is split into 5 minute sections as follows:
- Timed recall of a targeted set of focus number facts using flash cards.
- Speed sheets that relate to the same set of focus facts and include extension number facts.
- Independent worksheets still targeting the same focus fact.
- Random number facts 0-12 testing using the cognitive aptitude assessment system (CAAS). At this point the students can use and consolidate on the various strategies they are learning.
- The use of a prompt scaffold (the 6S problem-solving strategy) to solve mathematical problems and establish knowledge of problem-solving routines.
- Maths-focused games.
Students graph their own progress and see the results of their achievements.