Faculty Focus: Mathematics

The Newcastle High School Mathematics faculty has undergone substantial change in 2023. This year we have welcomed Mrs Samone Dinnery back full-time into the faculty after her short stint in the LAST (Learning and Support Teacher) teaching space. We have gained new and innovative leadership under the direction of our freshly appointed Head Teacher (HT) Mr Patrick Lomax.

Mr Lomax comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience from his previous HT appointment at Killarney Heights High School on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and has been a strong addition to our faculty. A busy and productive year lies ahead, as we work towards the implementation of the new 7-10 Mathematics Curriculum at the start of 2024. We are excited for the opportunities that this will bring to Mathematics education at our school as we look to reinvigorate and modernise our curriculum to support the ever-changing needs of our students.

The Importance of the ‘Right’ Calculator

Students in Mathematics at Newcastle High School use calculators in almost EVERY lesson. Mathematics requires the application of both calculator and non-calculator skills. So, ensuring that students have the ‘right’ calculator, to help them succeed, is of utmost importance!

Here at Newcastle High School we endorse the following calculator model:

We endorse this model due to its ease of use for scientific functions and because the teachers at our school use digital emulators for this specific model; meaning they can instruct and teach students how to use this model effectively whilst casting to the classroom screen. It is also the model they will be required to use when sitting their final HSC Exam at the end of Year 12!

Students with various other models of calculators may find it difficult to locate and use the required functions accurately. A common question we get in classrooms from students is “Why can’t I just use my phone or laptop calculator?”. There is a simple answer to this question; phone calculators work fine for simple arithmetic and functions but fall short in their ability to work with more complex applications.

A good scientific calculator should last an entire high school education!

The following screenshot highlights the ease of use when inputting the same function into both a handheld (left) and online calculator (right):

Mathematics Curriculum Reform

The NSW school curriculum reform is well underway at NHS, as we prepare for the implementation of the new Mathematics syllabus for Years 7 and 9 in 2024, and Years 8 and 10 in 2025.

The NHS curriculum reform aims to:

▪  provide more time for teaching by reducing the hours teachers spend on extra-curricular topics, issues and compliance requirements

▪  strengthen post school pathways with new learning areas for Years 11 and 12 that clearly link learning to future employment and study options

▪  a new curriculum with new syllabuses focused on what is essential to know and do in early and middle years of schooling, and key learning areas in the senior years

Key changes in the new 7-10 Mathematics syllabus include:

▪  a single, overarching working mathematically outcome from K-10

▪  a Core-Paths structure that is designed to encourage aspiration in students and flexibility for teachers

▪  additional content areas focussing on Networks, Infographics and Simulations

The implementation of a new syllabus enables us to reinvigorate and refine our teaching programs to ensure they remain relevant and cater to our progressive student population. Our faculty are very excited to be engaging in relevant professional learning opportunities to support us as we develop and design new scope & sequences, teaching programs, and resources. We look forward to providing our students with engaging, innovative and modernised learning opportunities in Mathematics in 2024.

Additional information regarding the curriculum reform can be found on the following website HERE. 

Maths Breakfast Club

Maths Breakfast Club is a free tutoring service where students can come to get support from a qualified Mathematics Teacher. The club is available to all students who are seeking assistance with any element of their mathematics. A qualified teacher will be on hand to assist students with general classwork, revision, assessments or even areas of student interest. The club runs every Wednesday morning before school (7:45-8:45am) in Room 25, see you there!

HSC Success 2022

We are absolutely thrilled by our 2022 cohort’s attained results in the 2022 HSC. We had a total of 102 students sit the HSC examination in a mathematics course (ranging from Mathematics Standard 1 to Mathematics Extension 2). HSC results are graded in bands, from band 1 through to 6:

Band 6 = 90-100 marks

Band 5 = 80-89 marks

Band 4 = 70-79 marks

Band 3 = 60-69 marks

Band 2 = 50-59 marks

Band 1 = 0-49 marks

We are very pleased to highlight the following results. Newcastle High students achieved:

Mathematics Extension 1 / Mathematics Extension 2 students are graded on a separate band scale from E1 to E4. We had five students achieve an E3 band in the 2022 Mathematics Extension 1 examination.

A huge congratulations to our 2022 cohort on their hardwork and determination that led to such successful results!