Mathematics

The Mathematics Faculty at John Therry Catholic College provides students with a learning environment, which nurtures individual problem-solving skills as well as teaching traditional mathematical skills.

We encourage students to demonstrate initiative and share their thoughts, experiences and understanding of mathematics wider than the classroom. Studying mathematics provides students with skills to learn to describe, reason, predict, calculate, estimate, measure, interpret and communicate information presented in a numerical, symbolic, geometrical, graphical, statistical, and algebraic form.

Students study stage 4 Mathematics in Year 7 and Year 8. They are in ungraded mathematics classes in year 7 where all students study the same content. At the end of year 7 a top year 8 class is created for the following year, whilst the rest remain ungraded. The curriculum provides opportunities for hands on activities allowing students to explain the how/why it works rather than just the answer.

In Year 9 students begin Stage 5. In Stage 5 mathematics students’ study either a 5.2 pathway or a 5.3 pathway. These pathways are determined by their previous stage 4 results. All students complete the stage 5.2 outcomes. The 5.3 pathway students not only complete the 5.2 pathway outcomes but also complete the more extensive and demanding outcomes of the 5.3 pathway. In Year 11 and 12 students undertake stage 6 of their mathematics. At stage 6 students may opt not to undertake any further mathematical study. For those students who continue their mathematical studies in stage 6 they can choose from General Mathematics1or 2 Mathematics and Mathematics Extension 1. Students who studied the 5.2 pathway in stage 5 are recommended for the General Mathematics. Note that Mathematics General 1 are for those students who want to do mathematics but do not wish to sit a HSC exam or use their mathematics result towards an ATAR. Mathematics General 2 is for those students who perform well at 5.2 or 5.3 and wish to suit a HSC exam for mathematics and have this course counts towards an ATAR. Students who studied the 5.3 pathway are recommended for Mathematics and Mathematics Extension 1. Students who perform well in Mathematics Extension1 may then select to do Mathematics Extension 2 from the beginning of term 4 in year 11.