Mathematics

Departmental Staff

D G Bader, BSc (Bath) Head of Mathematics
A R Davies, BSc (Bristol) Assistant Head of Mathematics
Ms F G Buzzacott, BSc (Exeter)†
Mrs F Grant, BEd (Bulmershe College)
M Hetherington, BA, BSc (Nottingham)
A Lunberg, BA (Otago)
P I Rollitt, BSc, MSc (London)
M S Russell, BEd (Bulmershe)
Mrs A Sharp, BSc (Sussex)†
Mrs L J Stephens, BEd (Cambridge)
Mrs S Taylor, BSc (Exeter), MA (London)

Mathematics at RGS

Mathematics is taught in sets throughout the school, usually with one more set than the number of forms. We do not take the KS3 examination, preferring to follow our own syllabus at Key Stage 3. To this end we have created our own on-line text book for Years 7 and 8.  Since 2005 we have been teaching the International GCSE (IGCSE) and follow the Edexcel 4400 syllabus. All pupils sit the Higher Tier, and the top one or two sets will sit IGCSE in Year 10 before moving onto the OCR AO examination (6993) in Year 11.

Between 50 and 60 students opt to continue with mathematics in the Sixth Form, and about 85% of these continue to A2, making us the largest subject at that level. Candidates are entered for the OCR modular syllabus, sitting Mathematics at AS, with further modules at A2. We currently have two sets of Further Mathematicians in both senior years. Individual students are encouraged to take the Cambridge STEP examinations. 

Results at both IGCSE and A-level have been impressive. In 2011, 100% of pupils were awarded A*-C grades for IGCSE, 82% at A* or A, including those who sat the exam one year early.  A pass rate of 100% was also achieved at A-level, with 65% of candidates being awarded A* or A grades. In addition, most students take part in the UK Mathematics Challenge each year, and we regularly receive large numbers of Gold Awards. Last year several students qualified for the second rounds of the competitions and Kasia Warburton was invited to attend a summer school for otential participants in the UK Olympiad team.

For a summary of this course please click here.

Examination Boards

IGCSE: Edexcel 4400
Additional : OCR 6993
A-OCR

Examination Results - Mathematics

Examination Results - Further Mathematics

Departmental Activities

We continue to enter the National Mathematics Challenges at all three levels with again excellent results. In the senior challenge we achieved 7 gold medals and Peter Buchan qualified for the BMO round 1. In the intermediates we had 9 gold medals and 7 qualifiers for the second round. One of these 7 was Kasia Warburton, who has since been selected for the European Girl’s Mathematics Olympiad. Our juniors also did well achieving an impressive 18 gold medals.

Our mathematics teams entered the usual team challenges and our seniors did well to finish 6th out of 30 schools in the regional heat. However, our juniors really did well. The team of Rhys Thomson, David Wheatley, Maria Ionescu and Nicky Johnson won their regional heat and in the national final finished a very creditable 43rd out of 96 schools.

In November the 6th form Further Mathematicians enjoyed a series of lectures at The University of London where amongst other things they were introduced to the “Mathematics of The Simpsons!” Our 1st form joined forces with year 6 from RSM for our annual “World of Maths” day, where they spent a couple of lessons solving problems ranging from balance beams and the principle of moments to logic problems and simple probability. In the summer term our 1st to 3rd form all took part in a puzzle morning. This took the form of an exercise in estimation, a couple of simple logic problems, a puzzle session, a session of mathematical gaming and a play put on by former RGS student Paul O’Mahony’s traveling company. With all the work that they do our students still find time to go over to help the younger pupils at RSM with their mathematics. 6th and 4th formers help out with preparation for entrance exams and at the weekly RSM Maths Club.