The Mathematics faculty at Ku-ring-gai High School is a modern and progressive faculty with a focus on best practice.
The Mathematics Faculty embraces cutting-edge technologies and innovative teaching strategies, fostering a forward-thinking environment that nurtures individual student strengths and interests. Equipped with Surface Pro devices and styluses, teachers deliver dynamic, interactive lessons, collaborating as a cohesive team to provide ambitious young mathematicians with a robust foundation and deep conceptual understanding, guided by best practices and a commitment to explicit teaching.
In technology-enhanced classrooms featuring projectors, smartboards, and Wi-Fi, students are empowered to engage with mathematics at their own pace, take ownership of their learning, and come prepared with necessary materials. By exploring patterns and relationships, students develop critical thinking through processes like discovery, abstraction, and problem-solving, building confidence and self-motivation as they apply their skills to address real-world challenges and deepen their understanding of the world.
The study of mathematics is mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.
The syllabus consists of the following strands:
- number and algebra
- measurement and geometry
- statistics and probability.
In Years 7 and 8, classes are mixed as per core classes
- Assessments are conducted after each outcome which reduces cognitive load, anxiety, time and weighting on each mini task.
- Students are encouraged to prepare an A4 handwritten reference to bring into each assessment task.
- Goal setting, pre-revision reflections and post assessment reflections are included as a part of each outcome and assessment. This is also included as a part of the assessment and reporting process.
In Years 9 and 10, courses offered include
- Mathematics Core
- Mathematics Core and Pathways
In Years 11 and 12, the study of mathematics is an elective. Courses offered include:
- Mathematics Advanced (from 2019)
- Mathematics Extension 1
- Mathematics Extension 2
- Mathematics Standard 1
- Mathematics Standard 2.
In the classroom
The Mathematics Faculty for Years 7 to 12 uses Microsoft OneNote Class Notebooks to create an engaging, textbook-free learning environment for students in Years 7 to 10. For Years 11 and 12, textbooks are utilised mainly for practice questions, ensuring a fresh and modern approach to maths education.
Students in Years 7 and 8 enjoy unique portfolio of reflections in their digital notebooks, which include lesson plans, teacher notes, scope and sequence documents, and real word applications. This setup encourages self-assessment and deeper engagement with learning outcomes. Meanwhile, we use HDMI and wireless display technology to project vibrant, interactive presentations onto a central classroom screen, seamlessly mirrored on students’ devices to enhance accessibility and participation.
This innovative system allows for tailored differentiation, catering to High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) students with advanced tasks while also providing scaffolded resources for those who need extra support—all within OneNote’s collaborative platform. Real-time co-editing, live annotations, and tools like Microsoft Maths Solver enable students to collaborate on problem-solving and build critical thinking skills. This creates an inclusive and engaging classroom that sparks mathematical curiosity and prepares students at all levels for success in a digital learning landscape.
Extra-Curricular activity organised to support the teaching and learning of Mathematics.
The Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC)
The Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC), established in 1978, engages students from lower primary to upper secondary with unique, expertly crafted problems designed to enhance problem-solving skills. Progressively challenging, the competition inspires students of all abilities, providing those in years 7–12 with 75 minutes to tackle complex tasks, ensuring both stimulation and intellectual growth.
In 2025, congratulations are due to the 97 students—approximately one-fifth of Years 7–11—who participated in Australia’s largest and longest-running maths competition. Their dedication to tackling demanding problems underscores the AMC’s enduring role in fostering mathematical curiosity and critical thinking across generations.
The World of Maths
At World of Maths, workshops feature over 150 hand-made activities designed to engage students through real-life examples, fostering problem-solving skills, teamwork, and confidence across all abilities. With no pressure to complete tasks, this approach encourages participation, ignites a passion for learning, and celebrates positive thinking. Students feel rewarded as they collaboratively develop essential maths skills through strategic discussions.
The Amazing Maths Race
In an exciting maths event, students will form teams of four to race around the school, solving engaging challenges set in locations like the Taj Mahal, Rio de Janeiro, and the Great Wall of China. Starting from a central point, each team completes a maths challenge to uncover the next location, with each stop presenting new problems in areas such as number, fractions, algebra, and probability. Equipped with 'hint' cards for assistance, teams compete to solve all eight challenges and be the first to reach the finish line, creating a thrilling and educational adventure.