GCSE Mathematics Course Handbook

Transcription

1 Faculty of Maths, Science and Sports GCSE Mathematics Course Handbook Haringey Sixth Form Centre White Hart Lane, Tottenham, London N17 8HR Tel: Fax: Haringeymath.wordpress.com

2 Contents. 1. Contents Page Page 1 2. Welcome Page 2 3. Staff names, roles and contact details Page 3 4. Aims and objectives of course Page 4 5. Course structure Pages 5 6. Calendar Page Assessment structure Pages 8 8. Progression Page 9 9. Study skills advice Page Study Centres Page Health and Safety Page Expectations Page Equipment and resources Page 14

3 Welcome Welcome to Haringey Sixth Form Centre and the Faculty of Maths, Science & Sports. We hope that your experience here will be a positive and enjoyable one. This handbook is provided to give you the information that you need to start your course and will also be useful throughout the time that you are studying here at the Centre. Your Personal Tutor will spend time during induction helping you to find out everything you need to know and part of this time will be spent looking through the handbook. There are many people who are available to help you through your studies, their names and roles have been included in the handbook so that if the answers to your questions are not here you always have another way of finding them out. You will also find important dates and deadlines for you to note and include in your Student Diary. It is essential that you stick closely to all course deadlines if you are to succeed and achieve your goals. As with all organisations there are rules and procedures to follow. We hope that these have been made clear, but if you are not sure about any of them please refer to the relevant sections in the handbook or ask your Personal Tutor. Finally, in this handbook, you will find various sources of information and advice which are designed to help you achieve the best possible results and provide progression to careers and higher education. But, above all, this handbook is designed to help you to enjoy your time at Haringey Sixth Form Centre.

4 Staff Names and Roles Staff Head of Faculty- Programme Manager Maths- Programme Manager Sports- Learning Mentor Mike O Brien Daniel Oladejo Kevin Browne Michael Debrah Teachers- Biology- Anne Bedford Laura Nicholls Chemistry- Zabed Ahmed Michelle Blenheim-Aning Physics- Mike O Brien Maths- Daniel Oladejo Marios Americanos Gaetano Farrugia Sports- Carlos Munoz Jennifer Maysmor-Gee Kevin Brown Technicians- Science- Anjna Vara Julie Nicholson

5 Aims and Objectives This course has the following aims; it should: enable you to acquire knowledge and skills with confidence, satisfaction and enjoyment give you experience of mathematical activity and develop resourcefulness in solving problems. enable you to apply mathematics and recognise its significance to other disciplines provide you with a foundation for further study of mathematics

6 Course Structure This course follows the Edexcel Higher (modular) Syllabus [2MB01] There are 3 units that you will study and you will sit exams in each of the units. Unit 1: Statistics and Probability This unit involves the study of data and will explore topics such as: Collecting and displaying data, averages, scatter graphs and correlation and probabilty, relative frequency Unit 2: Number, Algebra and Geometry 1 This unit involves the study of topics such as: Integers, decimals and fractions, percentages, ratio and scale, patterns and sequences, algebra and it s manipulation, lines, angles and polygons. Unit 3: Number, Algebra and Geometry 2 This unit continues from the work studied in Unit 2 and includes topics such as: Standard form, solving linear equations, straight line graphs, transformations and Pythagoras theorem. These units are examined by 3 papers: Unit 1 is worth 30% of the final marks and is a calculator paper Unit 2 is worth 30% of the final marks and is a non-calculator paper Unit 3 is worth 40% of the final marks and is a calculator paper Unit 1 and 2 will be examined in March 2012 Unit 3 will be examined in June 2012

7 GCSE Schemes of Work Week Activities GCSE Timetables Weeks Commencing 1. September 3 rd Basic algebra revision and Surds (C1) For all GCSE schemes of work, please visit 2 September 10 th Quadratics, Surds Test, Equations & Formulae Test, Indices Alternatively, click the following links: 3 September 17 th Quadratics, Number Indices Scheme Test of Work 4 September 24 th Algebra Scheme of Work Quadratics Test, Factor/Remainder Theorem Data Handling Scheme of Work 5 October 1 st Curve Sketching, Factor/Remainder Theorem Test Shape & Space Scheme of Work 6 October 8 th Curve Sketching, Binomial Expansions 7 October 15 th Graph Transformations Test, Binomial Expansions Test Maths GCSE October 22 nd H A L F T E R M Wednesday Thursday Thursday Friday Group 8 C October 29 th Inequalities(C1), Data Presentation(S1) Room S5 S5 S5 S5 9 5 th Inequalities Test, Co-ordinate Geometry(C1), Data Presentation(S1) Time November 12 th MARIOS Co-ordinate Geometry TOM Test(C1), Data MARIOS Presentation(S1) TOM AMERICANOS KWEEDAY AMERICANOS KWEEDAY Teacher 11 November 19 th Co-ordinate Geometry(C1), Data Presentation Test (S1) Maths GCSE Group D 12 November 26 th Co-ordinate Geometry(C1), Probability(S1) Room 13 December 3 rd S4 C1 Review, Probability(S1) S4 S4 S4 14 December 10 th C1 Mock Paper, Probability(S1) MARIOS GAETANO 15 December 17 th AMERICANOS Probability Test(S1) FARRUGIA December 20 th Monday Wednesday Friday Friday Time Teacher MARIOS AMERICANOS C H R I S T M A S B R E A K GAETANO FARRUGIA Maths GCSE Group E Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Room S4 S4 S4 S4 Time Teacher MARIOS AMERICANOS MARIOS AMERICANOS GAETANO FARRUGIA GAETANO FARRUGIA Maths GCSE Group F Monday Tuesday Tuesday Friday Room S5 F8 S5 S5 Time Teacher DANIEL OLADEJO ANNA ZYLKO ANNA ZYLKO DANIEL OLADEJO

8 Assessment Structure Your final GCSE grade is assessed by external exams and coursework but we will assess your work in a variety of ways throughout the course. The aims of continuous assessment are: to allow you to monitor your progress and understanding of each topic to allow your Maths teacher to monitor your progress and understanding to identity any problem areas FREQUENT TOPIC TESTS At the end of each topic you will have a minute test in one of your lessons. These tests will be mainly multiple choice on the basics of topics you have just covered, plus a little revision. They will show you if you are keeping up with new work and remind you of basic algebraic techniques. These tests will help you monitor your progress and see if you are putting in enough work outside the classroom. ASSIGNMENTS Over the year you will have to complete a number of assignments. These consist of around 15 questions, many of which have been taken from previous exam papers. Assignments will be given to you every 2 weeks before you have covered the work in class. As the work is covered you will be able to attempt more of the questions. Each assignment is expected to be around 4 hours work. Assignments will be uploaded on the Mathematics departments blog, located at: haringeymath.wordpress.com It is your responsibility to download the assignments and print them off. YOUR SUBJECT TEACHER WILL NOT DO THIS FOR YOU The deadline for assignments is given on the front sheet. These deadlines are NON-NEGOTIABLE. It is your responsibility to hand in your work on or before the deadline date. Non-completion of assignments to a good standard, and on time, will be taken as evidence of a lack of commitment to this course. This will be treated very seriously and appropriate action will be taken. Give yourself enough time to complete the assignments set and try to establish a weekly routine for doing maths in particular give yourself enough time to visit the MATHS WORK- SHOPS (see timetable) for help well before the deadline date.

9 Progression At this stage in your education, you will already have had to make many decisions about your future career and for most of you, your choice of subjects is based upon where you intend to go, and what you intend to do, after leaving school. If you wish to continue studying maths beyond GCSE level, then you may wish to choose to study A Level Mathematics. You will need to achieve a grade A or B, however we may also decide to test your skills in algebra to determine your suitability for the Maths A Level course. For those intending to continue on to university, there are very few degree subjects for which a maths A Level would not be useful. Many degree courses do not require specific A level subjects, but, of those that do, maths is by far the subject most commonly required. The reason for this is that maths equips you with numerous transferable skills. These skills problem solving, logical thinking, conceptual ability, communication, data handling and interpretation, and research are useful in any job, and employers will recognise that you have them if you have studied maths. Apart from these general transferable skills, maths also equips you with a set of tools that are vital in many jobs. It opens up opportunities in many areas such as: banking and finance, IT and computing or accountancy and engineering to name a few.

10 Study Skills Advice You will have to take responsibility for your own programme of study, however if you are having difficulty with the understanding of the topics, your teacher will refer you to get additional support by attending the Mathematics workshops and/or attending study sessions with the faculty Learning Mentor. To ensure that you have a good grasp of a topic bear in mind the following strategies: ask your teacher during the lesson if you don t understand or if you need a point clarified... don t let the opportunity pass. visit the Maths workshops discuss your problems with your friends re-read your notes and work through examples done in class use your textbook give yourself plenty of time to do your assignments use the Mymaths resources ( and the Haringey Mathematics blog (Haringeymath.wordpress.com) for extra tutorials and interactive exercises. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT (well, almost!). It may be boring to do lots of examples of the same type of problem but rather like press-ups to build up your muscles, practising examples will build up your mental stamina and do wonders for your confidence. Simply understanding and just working through one single example will not be enough to embed difficult mathematical procedures and concepts in your mind.

11 Mathematics Workshop What the Mathematics Workshop can provide to support you Opening Times Open from: 13:00-14:00 on Monday to Thursday ALL WORKSHOPS ARE IN S5 The Mathematics workshops will be available for students to work individually or in small groups on assignments and research tasks. At all times a member of staff will be present to support you and help them with any questions that you may have about your work or about science or maths in general. The PC network has been set up with a range of useful software designed for use with specific courses or more generally for revision etc. The Centre VLE is also accessible on the network with a range of information and activities for students to use in relation to their courses. Recommended textbooks and other texts that will provide support for your studies will be kept within the book stock in the Study Centre for students to read and refer to whilst working in it. These are not to be taken out of the Centre or used at home. If you would like advice on how to borrow or obtain particular texts or sources of information then please ask a member of staff. Relevant web-sites and reading material such as the New Scientist magazine will be provided & regularly updated so that students and staff can research a particular topic or look for inspiration and ideas.

12 Health and Safety All students are required to strictly follow all Centre Health and Safety policies procedures and rules. You can read about these in your Student Diary or on the Centre Virtual Learning Environment. Very often you will be given instructions by your Personal Tutor or subject teachers about safety issues within particular areas. You should pay particular attention to the location of fire escapes and fire escape routes which are signposted around the site. Students on certain courses or subjects will have certain specific health & safety rules and procedures to learn. Expectations In addition to the timetabled lessons (4 hours per week), you will be expected to attend at least one study centre session a week, and spend at least 3 hours studying independently outside the classroom. It is essential that you put in this amount of time and don t fall behind with your work. Clearly we expect 100% attendance and punctuality, but if you miss something it is vital that you really do find out, from your teacher or fellow students, precisely what happened in the lesson missed and if any work was set before the next session. That way you will not be totally baffled and left behind.

13 Equipment You are expected to have the following equipment for EVERY LESSON. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THIS EQUIPMENT, YOUR CLASS TEACHER WILL NOT ADMIT YOU INTO THE CLASS Basic/Scientific calculator (preferred) Geometry set Black/blue ball point pen Pencil Eraser A4 Exercise book Assignment folder You will also need to purchase a copy of the MathsWatch DVD (a set of video tutorials) You will also be required to purchase a GCSE Maths Work book. All of the above equipment can be purchased from the Learning Resources Centre located on the ground floor.

14 Attendance & punctuality procedures

15 Behaviour procedures