Hollybrook Academy

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Mathematics

Overview

The Maths curriculum in Hollybrook Academy aims to enable pupils to acquire the skills which are necessary to function as independent individuals at home and in the wider community. The Maths department also aims to promote confident and enthusiastic attitudes in our learners by creating positive and stimulating learning environments where all pupils feel valued and are encouraged to value others.

Staff

Mr K Falconer

Mr Barbour

Mrs K Parhar

What Your Child Will Learn

Pupils from S1 to S3 follow a broad general education using programmes of work based upon the experiences and outcomes from Curriculum for Excellence. While all pupils benefit from a balanced curriculum, particular emphasis is placed on essential life skills such as the practical use of time, money and measurement to prepare the young people for successful transition to life in the community.

From S4 to S6 pupils follow courses, suitable to their individual ability levels, for the new National Qualifications, from National 1 to National 4. In addition to these courses, the Maths department also offers SQA Awards in finance and Scottish Studies.  The Awards provide additional means of developing, recording and certificating a wide range of young people’s personal qualities, abilities and achievements as well as introducing them to new activities and challenges.

How Your Child Will Learn

The Maths department aims to provide our pupils with a wide range of teaching and learning experiences. Strategies include short spells of direct teaching and active learning where pupils are encouraged to play an active role in their own learning through the use of concrete materials such as multibase, whiteboards, real money and real clocks.  Staff try to make lessons interesting and fun! The use of the most current ICT resources, including the use of Smartboards, relevant software, iPads and Nintendo DS consoles are used to consolidate learning in an enjoyable way. We are also including the Radio Station as a means of  enhancing Maths skills.

Opportunities are also created for experiential learning, both within the classroom and through educational outings into the community. These include using various modes of public transport and visits to shops, supermarkets, petrol stations, train stations and airports; stimulating real life settings for the exploration and application of many fundamental Maths life skills.

The Maths department recognises that parents and carers are key partners in their child’s learning. Homework guides for parents have therefore been created for a range of Maths topics so that parents and carers can reinforce learning at home. These are easy to follow and demonstrate the learning and teaching strategies used in Maths lessons at school.

How Your Child Will Be Assessed

On admission to Hollybrook Academy, pupil assessment information is passed on from the associated primary schools. We also carry out a diagnostic assessment for all first year pupils at the start of the school session covering Information Handling, Number, Money, Time, Shape, Position and Movement. This combined information ensures that all pupils are working at appropriate levels.

During the school session, learning goals in Maths are assessed through oral questioning and teacher observation in class with relevant comments made in the daily pupil tracking folder.  Formal written assessment, carried out at the end of each Maths topic, demonstrates whether pupils are secure in their knowledge or if they might benefit from further reinforcement.

Self assessment  is promoted throughout learning with the use of pupil records of individual learning goals where pupils assess their progress using the traffic lights colours.  Peer assessment is also encouraged.

During S4 – S6, pupils are assessed according to the SQA guidelines and using Unit Assessment  Support materials for National 1- 4 Maths. Recommendations are also followed for the assessment of learning in ASDAN courses.