Math Department - Introduction
The English School Mathematics department is one of the largest departments in the school, currently employing fourteen members of staff. The department has a reputation for obtaining excellent results at both IGCSE and A-level, and the teachers work together to ensure that these standards are maintained.
The 1st year pupils are taught by bilingual mathematics teachers, who develop their pupils' proficiency in the English language so that they can understand mathematical terminology well. Classes are conducted in both languages to begin with, but by the end of the academic year, classes are taught predominantly in English. This is to prepare them for the 2nd year and beyond, where all classes are taught in English. The syllabus for the 1st year acts as a foundation for the future years, consolidating their knowledge of number, geometry and algebra, developing the pupils' awareness of mathematical concepts.
The 2nd year syllabus reinforces some of the material of the 1st year, and introduces new material such as Pythagoras' theorem, trigonometry, similarity and more advanced algebra. Pupils are shown how to use the calculator for complex operations, but are also encouraged to use mental arithmetic whenever possible.
The department has been using the STP Mathematics 7A, 8A and 9A textbooks by Nelson Thornes for years 1 and 2. The department will be using the New Math Framework for years 1 and 2, implementing ICT in the curriculum.
The 3rd year pupils begin the Edexcel IGCSE course. This is a two-year course, the exam for which the pupils will take at the end of the 4th year, effectively a year early compared to most secondary schools. The course introduces further geometry, sets and more complex algebraic functions, such as quadratic and cubic functions. The department uses the IGCSE Mathematics 1 textbook by Longman.
The 4th year pupils continue with the IGCSE course. The pupils have the opportunity to meet and work with new topics such as differentiation, three-dimensional geometry and advanced vectors. They take the external, IGCSE, examination at the end of this year. The text book used is the IGCSE Mathematics 2 by Longman.
All the 5th year pupils continue with mathematics and begin the Edexcel AS course, completing the C1 module in this year. The department uses the Heinemann books throughout the AS and A2 course. In addition to the regular sets, '1½ A Level' sets are formed by the most able pupils who cover both C1 and a substantial part of the C2 module. At the end of the 5th year, all pupils sit the external examination on the C1 module.
In the 6th and 7th year, the pupils in the single 'A-level' sets will complete 6 modules
(in pure/further pure, pure/statistics or pure/mechanics) in order to obtain one A-level. The pupils in the '1½ A Level' sets will complete 9 modules (in further pure and statistics or further pure and mechanics ) in order to obtain one and a half A-levels. The department starting for september 2010 will offer 2 A Levels in Mathematics (Timetabled as 2) of the option of choosing. There is also a Maths- club run on a weekly basis mainly for 1st and 2nd year pupils.
The pupils take part in many competitions organised in Cyprus and abroad, with many successful results.
The 1st year pupils are taught by bilingual mathematics teachers, who develop their pupils' proficiency in the English language so that they can understand mathematical terminology well. Classes are conducted in both languages to begin with, but by the end of the academic year, classes are taught predominantly in English. This is to prepare them for the 2nd year and beyond, where all classes are taught in English. The syllabus for the 1st year acts as a foundation for the future years, consolidating their knowledge of number, geometry and algebra, developing the pupils' awareness of mathematical concepts.
The 2nd year syllabus reinforces some of the material of the 1st year, and introduces new material such as Pythagoras' theorem, trigonometry, similarity and more advanced algebra. Pupils are shown how to use the calculator for complex operations, but are also encouraged to use mental arithmetic whenever possible.
The department has been using the STP Mathematics 7A, 8A and 9A textbooks by Nelson Thornes for years 1 and 2. The department will be using the New Math Framework for years 1 and 2, implementing ICT in the curriculum.
The 3rd year pupils begin the Edexcel IGCSE course. This is a two-year course, the exam for which the pupils will take at the end of the 4th year, effectively a year early compared to most secondary schools. The course introduces further geometry, sets and more complex algebraic functions, such as quadratic and cubic functions. The department uses the IGCSE Mathematics 1 textbook by Longman.
The 4th year pupils continue with the IGCSE course. The pupils have the opportunity to meet and work with new topics such as differentiation, three-dimensional geometry and advanced vectors. They take the external, IGCSE, examination at the end of this year. The text book used is the IGCSE Mathematics 2 by Longman.
All the 5th year pupils continue with mathematics and begin the Edexcel AS course, completing the C1 module in this year. The department uses the Heinemann books throughout the AS and A2 course. In addition to the regular sets, '1½ A Level' sets are formed by the most able pupils who cover both C1 and a substantial part of the C2 module. At the end of the 5th year, all pupils sit the external examination on the C1 module.
In the 6th and 7th year, the pupils in the single 'A-level' sets will complete 6 modules
(in pure/further pure, pure/statistics or pure/mechanics) in order to obtain one A-level. The pupils in the '1½ A Level' sets will complete 9 modules (in further pure and statistics or further pure and mechanics ) in order to obtain one and a half A-levels. The department starting for september 2010 will offer 2 A Levels in Mathematics (Timetabled as 2) of the option of choosing. There is also a Maths- club run on a weekly basis mainly for 1st and 2nd year pupils.
The pupils take part in many competitions organised in Cyprus and abroad, with many successful results.
