Dear Parent/Carer,
Welcome back :) I hope you have had a wonderful, and restful summer and are ready for the year ahead. I wanted to update you on what you and your child can expect from the Maths department as they continue their journey through Year 11.
Firstly, I’d like to say how incredibly proud we are of the way our Year 10 students approached their recent mock exams at the end of Y10. Their conduct during this period was excellent, and it was particularly exciting to see so many of them attending after-school enrichment sessions in the lead-up. Their hard work has paid off - we’ve been really pleased with the results, and it’s clear that many students are on a strong path to success next summer.
What to Expect in Year 11 Maths
The GCSE Maths course is assessed through three exam papers:
- One non-calculator paper
- Two calculator papers
Each paper is worth 80 marks and is equally weighted.
There are two tiers of entry:
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Foundation tier (grades 1–5)
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Higher tier (grades 3–9)
The higher tier is demanding, and the minimum grade that can be awarded is a 3. Students who do not meet the grade threshold (typically requiring around 50 marks across all three papers) will receive a grade U. For this reason, we closely monitor progress, and students who are consistently working at a grade 3 - 4 level may be moved to the foundation tier to maximise their chances of success across all subjects.
To give a sense of how this links to post-16 options:
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Level 1 courses usually require grades 1–3
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Level 2 courses require a grade 4 or above
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Level 3 courses, such as A Levels, generally require at least a grade 5
Supporting Your Child in Year 11
Students will sit at least two more formal mock exams in November and March. These are important for tracking progress, identifying where support is needed, and informing predictions for summer exams and Post 16 applications.
To ensure success, we expect all students to:
- Work hard and engage actively in lessons
- Show resilience when facing challenges
- Complete all homework consistently and to a high standard
How We Will Support Them in School
Your child will be supported through:
- High-quality lessons delivered by experienced subject specialists — in most cases, the same teacher they had in Year 10
- Regular practice using Staples Challenges (past paper-style questions)
- Weekly after-school enrichment sessions on Thursdays
- Targeted small group support for both consolidation and extension
- Access to a dedicated Google Classroom, which includes past papers, revision resources, helpful links, and live online revision sessions closer to the exams
How You Can Help at Home
You can make a big difference by:
- Encouraging excellent attendance and a strong attitude to learning
- Supporting your child to attend Thursday enrichment sessions or catch up on any missed materials
- Helping them build and stick to a revision routine — even an hour after school four times a week can make a big impact
- If you would like to purchase a calculator, we recommend the Casio FX-83GTCW Scientific Calculator, which is available on Amazon for around £11. However, there’s no need to buy one as calculators will continue to be provided in lessons.
We look forward to working with you over the coming months, as we prepare our students for their final exams. If you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to contact me, or your child's teacher.
Warm regards,
Samantha Delany
Head of Maths
Outwood Academy City