Maths

Welcome to Birmingham Tutors. We offer tuition for Maths at KS1, KS2, KS3, GCSE, A-level and degree level by Enhanced DBS checked tutors.

To find a tutor please click on ‘find a tutor’, fill out the details and we will put a Maths tutor in touch with you.

Why do I need to study maths?              

Our success in life depends upon how well we can solve problems – how well we know how to face challenges in life. Maths helps us to think logically and practice the problem-solving process that applies to everyday, ordinary situations. Maths has in fact been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most fascinating problems.

Maths is also essential to science, technology and engineering.

Aims

The national curriculum for maths aims to ensure that all young people:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of maths, through varied and frequent practice with  problems, which, over time, become more and more complex so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge quickly and accurately.
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, and, using mathematical language, develop an argument, an explanation or evidence.
• can solve problems by applying their maths to a number of routine and non- routine problems which increase in difficulty, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in looking for answers.

Maths is a subject in which all parts are linked or connected. Young people need to be able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas. For practicality, the programmes of study are organised into what appear to be separate areas. However, in order to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving problems, young people should make  connections across mathematical ideas, including applying their maths knowledge to science and other subjects.

The expectation is that most young people will work their way through the programmes of study at approximately the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of young people’s understanding and their willingness to progress to the next stage.

Young people who grasp concepts quickly should be challenged. However, they should be given rich and sophisticated problems before any progression to new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should make their understanding secure, through additional practice, before moving on.

One-to-one tutoring from a Birmingham Tutors maths specialist will ensure secure understanding at each stage of development.

Information and communication technology (ICT)

Calculators should not be used as a substitute for good written and mental arithmetic. They should therefore only be introduced near the end of key stage 2 to support young people’s conceptual understanding and exploration of more complex number problems, if written and mental arithmetic are secure. In both primary and secondary schools, teachers should use their judgement about when ICT tools should be used.

Spoken language

The national curriculum for maths reflects the importance of spoken language in young people’s development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically.

The quality and variety of language that young people hear and speak are key factors in developing their mathematical vocabulary and presenting a mathematical argument, an explanation or providing evidence. Naturally, they must be guided in making their thinking clear to themselves as well as others, building secure foundations by using discussion to question and correct any misunderstandings.

From KS1 through to GCSE, we offer tuition in the following curriculum areas to foundation and higher tier levels:

1. Number
2. Algebra
3. Geometry
4. Measures
5. Statistics
6. Probability

At A Level, we offer tuition in all aspects of mathematics