Mathematics Standard

Home
Student Life
Curriculum
Elective Choices
Mathematics Standard

In September, after Year 10 Assessment 3, the Mathematics Department will place each Year 10 student in the Year 11 course that best suits their mathematical ability and performance at that stage of their schooling, and enables them to have the highest chance of success in the HSC. A letter will be sent home in September communicating this placement, although class streaming within these levels will still be dependent on final Year 10 marks at the end of the year.

Should a parent or student wish to request a different course of Mathematics, they may contact Mr Hanlon one week after the final Semester 2 assessments in November to discuss a potential adjustment.

Secondary School Mathematics Pathways:

Secondary School Mathematics Pathway flowchart graphic

Contact

Head of Department: Graham Hanlon
Email: [email protected]

Overview of Mathematics Standard

2 Units for each of the Preliminary and HSC courses
Prerequisite: Any Year 10 Mathematics course at Barker College.
Exclusions: Year 11 Mathematics Advanced, Year 11 Mathematics Extension.

The Mathematics Standard course is an “applied” Mathematics course and aims to show the practical applications of mathematics to a wide variety of areas in everyday life.

Basic mathematical skills are explored and consolidated in the Mathematics Standard course, while some of the more challenging concepts demonstrate to students the many real and practical applications of mathematics that are used in the modern workplace and everyday life. Knowledge of this material will be invaluable for all students in their life after leaving school.

There is also scope for the use of appropriate technology in this course, including the opportunity for students to use scientific calculators, graphics calculators and/or computer spreadsheets at various stages during the course. In addition, focus studies in the areas of communication, driving, health and resources will be introduced and assessed.

It is important to note that the Mathematics Standard course is not a subset of the Advanced course.

The Mathematics Advanced course explores quite different topics to those studied in the Mathematics Standard course, therefore if a student wishes to change to the Mathematics Standard course after the start of Year 11, a significant amount of material from the Mathematics Standard course will need to be caught up. It is thus important that students, together with their parents, take time to thoroughly consider both courses before deciding which of the two 2 Unit Mathematics courses they will begin. Any change from the Mathematics Advanced course to the Mathematics Standard course must occur before the beginning of Year 11, Term 4. In addition, a position in an appropriate Mathematics Standard class timetabled at the same time cannot be fully guaranteed.

In the HSC year (Year 11 Term 4 onwards), the Mathematics Standard course splits into the Standard 1 and the Standard 2 courses. Most Barker students will continue onto the Standard 2 course, which is of greater rigour than the Standard 1 course.

In Year 11 Term 3, the School will consider whether there is enough student interest to run a Mathematics Standard 1 class and hence whether it will be offered in the HSC year.