The Warners Bay High School Mathematics Department had an excellent year in 2019. Our team enthusiastically welcomed change and sought opportunities to connect with students and help them achieve their best.
Our top highlights were:
NAPLAN Numeracy results
The 2019 Year 9 cohort achieved outstanding results in the Numeracy portion of the NAPLAN tests. The students' growth data was truly impressive; well above state and similar school groups growth. We also bucked the state trend in dipping average NAPLAN results for Year 9 Numeracy and improved our overall average from 2018 to 2019.
HSC Results
The HSC results for the class of 2019 were also impressive. Two students received Band 6’s in Mathematics, one in Mathematics Standard 2 and one in Standard 1. Our Extension 1 group scored five E3’s (the second top band) and our lone Extension 2 student achieved a notional Band 5.
Re-organising Year 9 classes
A new class structure was implemented for our Year 9 students. Students are now placed into a Stage 5.1 stream where they review and consolidate stage 4 content before moving on to Stage 5 content or they are placed into a Stage 5.2/3 hybrid stream. Students in this stream are all taught the same content and tested in the same way. This means that all students in this stream have the opportunity to earn a place in the top class for Semester Two and beyond. We found this to be more successful than grading based purely on Year 8 grades alone as some students mature over the course of first semester and demonstrate a much better level of ability than they did in Year 8.
Practical Maths Outdoors in the Real World
Not all lessons lend themselves to outdoor, practical applications of mathematics. Where possible though, some of our team like to take students outdoors to experience maths in the real world. Here are some students using clinometers and tape measures to work out the heights of buildings.
Professional Learning
The Mathematics staff are always looking for ways to improve and maintain currency with best practice. In 2019 our members attended professional learning activities on Mathematics Advanced, Extension 1 and 2, Numeracy improvement strategies, Timetabling, Behaviour Management, Maths in Trades and our most exciting prospect for 2020 – Maths Pathway; a new and exciting way of individually delivering the Mathematics syllabus.
Maths Competition
The Australian Mathematics Competition was again sponsored by the Mathematics staff in 2019. The top students in the junior years were identified and had their entry fees paid for by the Mathematics faculty. The results were impressive, with many distinctions and credits. The WBHS Mathematics staff are proud to continue this tradition and give students the chance to shine and further their mathematical curiosity in this way.
Happy helpful staff (regular before school support in D12)
Our team is dedicated to helping all students achieve their best and as such are available before school and at recess and lunch to provide support. Many students in the senior years utilised this provision throughout the year and we would often have D12 humming along with mathematical problem solving and tutelage.
